The Secret Life of Bees

I just finished reading this book last week. I had picked it up at a used book store several years ago. I re-discovered it on my bookshelf recently and thought I'd give it a try. Wow... It was really moving. I finished it in just a few days, which is pretty good considering I only really get to read before going to bed. I can't believe I waited so long to read it.

You can check it out on amazon...
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Bees-Monk-Kidd/dp/0142001740/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201753827&sr=8-2

The Secret Life of Bees is set in the early 1960s during a time of racial violence and unrest. This is a coming-of-age story about 14-year-old Lily Owens, who lives with her abusive father on a Southern peach farm. Her mother died when she was four years old and Lily is led to believe that she killed her mother. She lives with fantasies of having a loving mother and the author is quite descriptive when talking about Lily being a 'motherless' daughter. The only reminder Lily has of her mother is a Black Madonna, with the words "Tiburon, South Carolina" on the back.

Lily and her black nanny, Rosaleen, take advantage of an opportunity to leave town and head to Tiburon, South Carolina, hoping to learn about Lily's mother. This is where they find out about Black Madonna Honey, produced by three middle-aged black sisters, August, June and May Boatwright. The Boatwright sisters allow Lily and Rosaleen to stay with them for awhile.

This story is about relationships between mothers & daughters, sisters & friends. It is about dealing with racism. There are lessons on trust and dealing with deep heart-felt pain. It is about learning to find happiness within yourself. I thought it was a touching book and Kidd uses charming analogies; at several points, I felt I was a part of the story.

I was excited to discover tonight that they are making this book into a movie and production began January 9th in North Carolina!

Information from www.suemonkkidd.com:
Written and directed by Gina Prince-Blythewood, the movie stars Dakota Fanning as Lily Owens and Academy Award Winner Jennifer Hudson as her caretaker and "stand-in" mother, Rosaleen. The two soon discover a trio of beekeeping sisters played by Queen Latifah (August), Alicia Keys (June) and Sophie Okonedo (May). Completing the cast is Paul Bettany as T. Ray, Tristan Wilds (Zach), Nate Parker (Neil) and Hilarie Burton (Deborah).

Producing for The Donner's Company are Lauren Shuler Donner and Jack Leslie and for Overbrook Entertainment, Will Smith and James Lassiter. Joe Pichirallo will also produce.

Fox anticipates a 2008 release.