The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions

Title : The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
ISBN : 9781949199734
Format Type :

    The Secret Lives of Church Ladies Reviews

  • Roxane

    These are wonderful stories. I love the focus on black women and their inner and outer lives. Philyaw’s voice is distinct and textured. The stories are beautifully crafted. A lovely collection. ...

  • Reggie

    Society places a lot of pressure on ladies. Perhaps more so when these ladies are of the Church. The women who are often backbones of their communities, but afterthoughts when it comes time to celebra...

  • Read In Colour

    *taps 🎙️* Is this thing on? Yes? Ok. Let me introduce you to your new favorite author - Deesha Philyaw. Deesha isn't a new author, she's been writing for a minute, but what she does in The Secret...

  • Jennifer

    The Secret Lives of Church Ladies goes in easy, like honey with a touch of spice. It flows from one intimate relationship to another, expanding the heart as it goes, merging reader’s with writer’s...

  • Barbara

    “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies” is a collection of short stories about black women and their relationship to their church. In all the stories, the church plays a huge roll in how the ladies de...

  • Matthew

    Truth is, no one’s all good. And by that, I mean 100 percent good, wholly (holy?) good, not a bad bone in your body good. Those are all myths. Yeah, there are people we can consider a “good person...

  • Traci at The Stacks

    These stories are so good. They’re unapologetically Black, humorous, sad, complex, full, and sometimes steamy too. I loved most of them and liked a few but overall really impressed. Philyaw has craf...

  • Darryl Suite

    FINAL REVIEW: I’m in love. I’m freaking out. And I need/want/crave more.This collection reminded me why I love short stories. By Page 5, I knew this was going to be a firecracker of a collection. ...

  • Meike

    Now a Finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction 2020This collection contains nine short stories focusing on Southern Black women who attend or attended church, but defy conservative religious n...

  • Alex

    Believe the hype. This National Book Prize finalist, a short story collection from a tiny university press, is as brilliant as everyone says it is. Touching on themes of race, sexuality, class, relati...