Book Spotlight: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (Plus Giveaway!!!)

Last year, I read The Invention of Wings
by Sue Monk Kidd when it was first released, and I really enjoyed it! You can find my thoughts on the book here.
On May 5 the book is being released in paperback and to celebrate, I
am helping the publishers get the word out. I also have 1 copy of the book to giveaway – be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the post for details!  

Title: The Invention of Wings   

Author: Sue Monk Kidd        

Published: May 2015, Penguin Books   

Format: Paperback, 384 pages   

From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees, a magnificent novel about two unforgettable American women

Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk
Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and
the desire to have a voice in the world.

Hetty “Handful” Grimke,
an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life
beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke
household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she
is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by
the limits imposed on women.

Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in
motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten
year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid.We follow their remarkable
journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of
their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a
complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the
uneasy ways of love.
 

As the stories build to a riveting climax,
Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self
in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal,
unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her
place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the
early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements.

Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the
record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters,
both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte,
who courts danger in her search for something better.
 

This
exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with
unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through
women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will
leave no reader unmoved.

Here are some goodies to whet your appetite further…

Book Club Recipes*

These
recipes will be a delightful complement to your discussion.

Huguenot Torte
This quintessential old Charleston delicacy will provide the perfect complement to your book club’s discussion.

Ingredients
4 eggs
3 cups sugar
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 large tart apples, cored and chopped (about 2 cups)
2 cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream for serving
 

Directions
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease two 17¼ x 11½ inch baking pans. Beat eggs in electric mixer on medium speed until frothy and lemon-colored, about 4 minutes. Gradually add sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt, beat until incorporated. Divide mixture between baking pans, and bake about 45 minutes or until crusty and golden brown. To serve, cut into pieces and scoop up with a spatula; stack on a large plate. Cover with whipped cream and a sprinkling of the chopped nuts.

Blackbird Cocktail
If your book club enjoys cocktails with their book discussion, try this delicious Blackbird while you talk about The Invention of Wings.

Ingredients
2 parts whiskey or bourbon
1 part half and half or light cream
1 part egg white
 

To make
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add all other ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass. Enjoy responsibly.
 

How to Brew a Perfect Pot of Tea
For your next book club meeting, brew tea the old-fashioned way using loose leaf tea and a beautiful teapot. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making a perfect pot.

What you’ll need:
Loose leaf black tea. Darjeeling and Earl Grey are classic choices.
Add-ins: Milk, lemon slices, and sugar cubes (all optional)
Tea kettle
Teapot—you’ll need one large enough to serve all your guests
Strainer—if your teapot doesn’t have a built in strainer, you’ll need one
Spoons, cups, and napkins
Tea towel or tea cozy—you can also use a regular kitchen towel
Creamer
Tray and sugar cube tongs (optional)
 

Preparing
• If you’re using milk, start warming it on the stove. Warm milk is wonderful with freshly brewed tea!
• Warm your teapot by running it (and the lid) under very hot water. You can also warm your tea cups this way.
• Get your cups, strainer, and add-ins ready. Putting everything on a tray adds convenience and style.
• Add your tea to the teapot. Use roughly one teaspoon of tea for every 8 oz of water. Your tea packaging should also have instructions on how much to use. If your teapot has a strainer, add the loose tea into the strainer. If not, simply add the tea directly into the pot.
• When your water has reached a boil, turn off the stove and pour the water over the tea. Put the lid on the teapot and wrap it with a towel or a cozy to prevent cooling.
• Steep tea anywhere from 3-5 minutes, depending on how strong you like it.
• Pour the warm milk into your creamer or other pitcher. Remove the strainer from the tea (if applicable). If you’re using a separate strainer, place it over the tea cup before pouring the tea.
• Add milk or lemon to your cup first and then add the tea. Breathe deeply and enjoy with your Huguenot Torte or other treats! 

*
From Penguin Online Book Club Kit – for more exclusive material
directly, be sure to check this out. Click here for more details.

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Are
you an audiobook listener? Here’s a clip of the audiobook, performed by Jenna Lamia and Adepero Oduye, with an Author’s note performed by Sue Monk Kidd herself;
produced by Penguin Audio:

https://soundcloud.com/penguin-audio/the-invention-of-wings-by-sue

***I listened to the audiobook production of this book and thought it was an outstanding production!!!

*******************************************************************************

GIVEAWAY DETAILS – (US only)  

Thanks to Annie at Viking/Penguin, one reader can win a copy of  The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. To enter the giveaway, please fill out the form by May 5th.

 

This giveaway is open to US residents only and ends May 5th.

Good Luck!!!