Sue Monk Kidd
Sue Monk Kidd (born August 12, 1948) is an American novelist and memoirist known for exploring themes of spirituality, feminism, race, and historical fiction. Her works have appeared on bestseller lists worldwide, and several have been adapted for film, stage, and television.
Sue Monk Kidd 
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| Born | 12 august 1948 |
| Birthplace | Sylvester, Georgia, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Novelist, memoirist |
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| Website | https://suemonkkidd.com |
Early life and education
Sue Monk Kidd was born in Sylvester, Georgia, and raised in a small Southern town. Her early life was shaped by the influence of her father’s storytelling and the African American women who worked in her household. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Texas Christian University in 1970 and worked in pediatric and obstetrical nursing before teaching at the Medical College of Georgia.
Writing career
Kidd began her writing career with nonfiction focused on spirituality. Her first book, God’s Joyful Surprise (1988), explored unconditional love. This was followed by When the Heart Waits (1990), a memoir of spiritual awakening, and The Dance of the Dissident Daughter (1996), a groundbreaking work on feminist spirituality.
In her forties, Kidd shifted to fiction. Her debut novel, The Secret Life of Bees (2002), set in 1964 South Carolina, became an international bestseller, spending over two years on The New York Times list and later adapted into a film in 2008. She followed this with The Mermaid Chair (2005), which won the Quill Award for General Fiction and was made into a television movie.
Kidd’s 2014 novel, The Invention of Wings, inspired by the lives of abolitionists Sarah and Angelina Grimké, debuted at number one on The New York Times bestseller list and was selected for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0. In 2020, she published The Book of Longings, a historical novel imagining the life of Ana, the wife of Jesus, which received critical acclaim for its research and storytelling.
In addition to novels, Kidd has published essays, short stories, and a co-authored memoir with her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor, titled Traveling with Pomegranates (2009). Her collection Firstlight (2006) gathers early spiritual writings.
Awards and recognition
Kidd has received numerous honors, including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors in 2011 and the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2022. Her works have been translated into more than 36 languages and continue to be widely read.
Personal life
Sue Monk Kidd lives in North Carolina with her husband, Sandy Kidd. They have two children. She continues to write and is set to publish a new book, Writing, Creativity and Soul, in October 2025.