by Deesha Philyaw
Published by Pushkin ONE
an imprint of Pushkin Press
Cover design by Jo Walker
In the words of the author herself, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is "unapologetically Black" & it's a great description. This collection of short stories looks at facets of life a lot of people might have lived but many more will never really have known about.
The stories look at the relationship Black women have with two big institutions - the church & its rules plus the constraints of marriage. With the tug of family life & expectations of society in general - we hear their emotional truth.
There are some shocks, some surprises & some actual laugh-out-loud funny moments. Even in very tense, emotional situations there's humour to be found.
With story titles like 'Dear Sister' with news & thoughts from so many different members of the family in one letter & others: 'Peach Cobbler' & 'Not-Daniel' are so completely different & explore near-impossible feelings.
Though we only get to experience a brief snippet of the ladies' lives, the writing & personal intricacies in their difficult situations share deep feelings on the pages that might not ever surface anywhere else.
This eclectic collection of powerful stories came together over several years & via some unusual circumstances. A very interesting Instagram Live 'Storytime + Q&A' is available to watch on the author's account. Deesha Philyaw also does a few readings from the book. It's such a treat to hear her bring the text to life.
Here's the link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CdL_mWNATOt/
Each short story is as individual as a fingerprint & totally engaging. I am sure there will be plenty more material coming from this talented author in the future.
What secrets are really around all of us?