Like books? Check out our wide variety of reviews at 5 Minutes for Books. Better yet — check out our current giveaways where you can not only discover a new book, but enter to win it!
We go through so many stages as women: first being a child, dependent on our own mothers for everything; then a teenager, raging with hormones and aching for freedom and independence; as young adults we try to figure ourselves out; then we are young women, perhaps wives; motherhood is a distinct and life-changing phase, but soon our children need us less and less; we adjust to the empty nest phase which brings more hormone fluctuations and is a rebirth and a dying as we ask “What now?”
Fifty-something Sue Monk Kidd and her twenty-something daughter Ann Kidd Taylor explore these stages of a woman’s life in Traveling with Pomegranates.
The book begins ten years ago when Sue plans a trip to Greece — a gift to herself in honor of her fiftieth birthday, and a college graduation gift for her daughter Ann. I thought this book would be a lot more of a travel memoir than it is. There is a strong sense of place, but it’s more in the effect that each place has on each of the women.
So much ground is covered in this memoir, which is written honestly, poetically and inconclusively. It’s not one of those books where someone shares the answer she has found. This is a book about the journey. If any of these topics interest you, you might wish to go along on the journey with them:
- Mother-Daughter relationships
- Self-discovery
- Life’s purpose
- Spirituality and feminism
- A call to write
- The birth of a novel (Sue Monk Taylor’s The Secret Life of Bees)
We have two copies to give away — to anyone! U.S. and International residents welcome! Please leave a comment to enter. We’ll post the winners in next Monday’s book column.
The winner of last week’s book giveaway of Pink Brain, Blue Brain is #21 Heidi (@aol).
Contributing editor Jennifer Donovan manages 5 Minutes for Books and contributes to 5 Minutes for Giveaways. She blogs at Snapshot.
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{ 100 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds really good. Especially the mother-daughter relationship part…
Does the random number generator ever pick #1?
I’d love to read this
*Thanks* for the giveaway!
I love this author, the movie not so much, but the book was just wonderful.
This book looks wonderful – I’d be thrilled to win a copy! Thank you!
I just spoke with someone this weekend who is reading this book and absolutely loved it! I would love to win a copy.
I would love to win a copy of this book! Thanks for the contest.
amanda n.
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com
It sounds like a fabulous book! I would love to win.
I love Sue Monk Kidd. I’d love to read this book.
This sounds really interesting; I’d love to read it!
I have really enjoyed some of Sue Monk Kidd’s other books. This one looks great too!
This books sounds interesting. Would love to read!
Wishing you a scent-sational day!
Looks like a great read! =)
Sounds wonderful!
I’m in!
The book sounds really good. I would love to win it.
oooh, this looks wonderful! i’d love to read it.
I just read a review of this book and it looks great. I would love to win it.
I would LOVE a copy. I’ve heard great things about this book.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d love to read this book.
id love to win a great book like this!
henneymj@aol.com
What an awesome novel title. I would love to win a copy.
Looks great, I want to read it!
looks interesting
I’d love to read it!
Sounds like an interesting,touching story!
I’d love to win!
Looks like a good book.
I’ve read and enjoyed other Sue Monk Kidd books, and this one sounds intriguing — particularly seeing her daughter’s writing. I’d love to win!
this look great
cindysku07@aol.com
My mom and I have a very special relationship. i would love to read this and then pass it on to her.
I am desperately looking for a new book to read- just finished “Replacement Child: A Memoir” by Judy L. Mandel, which left me really pondering and empathizing with the family in this memoir, and can think of hardly anything else (truly was a fascinating book). Now I need something new to read and would love to win a copy of this book.
No way! You would actually send it to Morocco!! OH please, please, random picker thingy, pick me! Pick me!
(Cuz it also looks fascinating. Believe me, I wouldn’t be begging for a board book)
This looks like a great book, thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to win and read this book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
I’d love to win!
Twitter: longwait4bella
September 29, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I really like Sue Monk Kidd. Thanks for the chance to win!
I have read articles she has written for Guideposts and enjoyed them.
This book sounds interesting. Please enter me.
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
I’d love to win this! Thanks so much
Sounds very interesting….sign me up….would like to win it
would love to read this – as a new mother, it’s made me rethink about my own relationships and the person that i am
This book sounds great, please count me in.
I am an email follower.
Looks like an interesting book i’d love to read.
I LOVE books that are actually ABOUT something and this sounds like one of those books.
Thanks for the review!
Sounds interesting. I’d love to win!
Sounds like a good read! Thanks for the chance!
Sounds like a great book, please count me in!
Thanks.
I hope i win. Enter me please
I stumbled across Sue Monk Kidd years ago through her book “When the Heart Waits; spiritual direction for life’s sacred questions”. She put words to my life experience as a mother and woman who longed for something deeper with God. As the mom of an adult daughter, I can’t wait to immerse myself in the journey of Sue and Ann!
This looks like a great Fall book
jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com
I love the mother/daughter relationship…please count me in. thanks.
karen k
I’ve enjoyed Sue Monk Kidd’s novels and I adore the title of this book. I’d love to win a copy. Thanks!
Sounds like an interesting book! Thanks for offering!
Thanks so much for all your giveaways. Please include me for a chance at winning a copy.
This looks so insightful into the Mother-Daughter Dance. I’d really enjoy the opportunity to read the book & I’d love to be selected to win a FREE copy. Thank you.
This sounds like a super book!
I am living through this now. Would love to read how others dealt with it.
This interests me b/c I LOVED the Secret Life of Bees, and my hope and dream is for my relationship with my daughter to be much better than the one I had with my mother.
The book sounds very interesting, can’t wait to read it!
I have never read anything by this author, but the journey of life’s purpose and self discovery sounds intriguing.
sounds like a great read thanks
I need some autumn reading. Thanks for the chance
This sounds like a complex yet joyful book!
I’m a faithful subscriber!
I would love a chance to win. Thank you.
I would like it, I hope. THank you
Thanks for the opportunity. I love reading about relationships.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
Happy Weekend!
I would love to read this book, it sounds like a great read!
nhmummab@comcast.net
Sounds like a great read!
I have just about finished up all my books and looking to start my “winter reading collection”. This would be a welcome read.
Looks great! Thanks for the giveaway!
I’ve loved Sue Monk Kidd’s previous books and would love the chance to read this one. Thanks so much.
mother and daughter relations ships! Count me in!
Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for the chance to win this book – please count me in!
This sounds like a really great book. I would love to read it.
This looks like an interesting book
Thank you for the AWESOME GIVEAWAY.. Please count me in
This sounds like a good read~ thank you
Sounds like a good book
sounds interesting please enter me.
I would love to win this for my wonderful wife. We only have 2 kids left in the house and they will soon be moving out and I can already see the loss in my wife’s eyes so I think this book would be of major help.
titletowntreasures(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
I would love to win this book and then pass it on to my mom.
I love books with this kind of theme. It would be a great read.
The book sounds interesting to read.
This sounds like a great book. I would love to read it. Thanks!
Sounds like a wonderful book. Thank you for the giveaway!
Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
Great Giveaway. I’d love to read this and then pass it on to my mom.
book sounds fun would love to win
I’d love to win this contest.
I love Sue Monk Kidd books.
This sounds like a great read.
Oh my goodness, didn’t know this book was out. Adding it to my list if I don’t win!
Thanks for the chance,
Megret
I have been dying to read this book. Thanks for the contest!
Please enter me
I’d love to read this book! It would be my first by the authors.
heatherlbrandt (at) verizon (dot) net
This book is near the top of my reading list!
i love to read so i would love to win this as i have not read it yet! thanks for the chance!
Regarding Sue & Ann’s book: I heard these fantastic women speak at The National Book Festival on Sept. 25. Their book-talk and life-talk was insightful and entertaining. It would be great to win a copy of their book. (We first read Sue’s writing as she participated in The Daily Guideposts lots of years ago.