The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Book • 2020
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is a collection of nine stories featuring four generations of Black women navigating the tensions between their desires and the expectations of the church.
The stories explore themes of love, sex, infidelity, family, faith, and identity, revealing the complex and often secret inner lives of church-going Black women.
The collection has been widely acclaimed for its tender, fierce, and multifaceted portrayal of Black women’s experiences and was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction.
It won several prestigious awards including the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Story Prize.
The book draws on Philyaw’s own experiences growing up in various Black church denominations and challenges the traditional image of church ladies as prim and conservative.
The stories explore themes of love, sex, infidelity, family, faith, and identity, revealing the complex and often secret inner lives of church-going Black women.
The collection has been widely acclaimed for its tender, fierce, and multifaceted portrayal of Black women’s experiences and was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction.
It won several prestigious awards including the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Story Prize.
The book draws on Philyaw’s own experiences growing up in various Black church denominations and challenges the traditional image of church ladies as prim and conservative.
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Brea Grant
Ep 436 - Most Anticipated for November & December + THE LIBRARIANS!
