My father is a beekeeper, and a couple of weeks ago he robbed the hives. Now three quart jars of beautiful and delicious honey sit in my pantry. Lucky me!
This morning while eating an English muffin covered in honey, I reflected on two unforgettable books about apiarists, Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
One night in December 2022, I stayed up long past my bedtime to finish Mad Honey, and the storyline still crosses my mind. Honey caught my eye first because helping Daddy harvest the honey was one farm chore I enjoyed as a young girl.
In Mad Honey, after her divorce, Olivia and her son, Asher, return to her New England hometown where she takes over her father’s beekeeping business. Lily and her mother move to the small town for a fresh start, and she falls in love with Asher. Life for everyone seems to be better until Asher is accused of murder. Lily’s murder.
The reveal was shocking, and I appreciate the effort the authors made in telling Lily’s story. It was sad and tragic yet hopeful and very educational. Picoult writes emotional and thought-provoking stories, so expect to be better informed about a difficult topic after turning the last page.
The Secret Life of Bees is a coming-of-age novel set in 1964 South Carolina. After a racially charged incident, 14-year-old Lily and her nanny, Rosaleen, escape to Tiburon, a town where Lily may find the answers to her mother’s murder. The two take refuge with three Black beekeeping sisters. Lily’s relationships with the four women emphasize the importance of female empowerment and connection, especially in a racially divided society.
All three authors wove beehive activity and honeybee facts into their stories. These brought back some sweet memories of my daddy in his bee suit and mesh hood robbing the bees and the messiness of trying to put honey into jars.
Look for these recommendations and other books at Knox County Online Library or your local independent bookstore each week.
Linda Sullivan is an avid reader and wants to make you one, too. For more recommendations or just to talk books, reach out to her at thebookwhisperertn@gmail.com. She can also be found @thebookwhisperertn on Instagram.