Welcome to our first official book club. We want to read stories that make us think, that move us, that raise complex questions, that open up important conversations. We want to read books that we can’t wait to talk about with you—virtually (tune in here), on social (join our new Facebook group), and we hope in person someday soon.
Why We Chose It
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is a deeply moving, seductive, and surprising collection of
stories about longing, desire, faith, and love. It introduces four generations of Black girls and women as
they navigate their lives outside of the churches their families have been raised in. Each character
carries a different secret that draws you to her.
Meet one of our favorite characters now in this excerpt. And once your copy of the book arrives, you can read it
in a few (very pleasurable) hours—but Deesha Philyaw’s words will stay with you for much longer.
Live Chat
Tuesday, April 27,
4 to 4:45 p.m. PT
Our wellness director will be chatting with Deesha Philyaw and then opening up the conversation to take questions from the group.
About the Author
Deesha Philyaw’s writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The Rumpus, Brevity, TueNight, and elsewhere. Originally from Jacksonville, she currently lives in Pittsburgh with her daughters.
A Q&A with DEESHA PHILYAW
How did you come to write a collection about church ladies?
In some respects, I’ve been writing about church ladies for about twenty years, from the very beginning of my writing life, even though I didn’t think of the characters as church ladies, per se. The women and girls who are rooted in my imagination and who live in the nostalgia I feel for my childhood growing up in the South, where I was born and raised—these women and girls, like me, were impacted by the church, whether we were inside or outside of the church.
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is being adapted for TV. If you had to put together a casting short list, who would be on it?
So many! Tessa Thompson and André Holland.
There is some fabulous food in the book. What’s your favorite recipe or dish?
Lately, I’ve worked on perfecting buttermilk biscuits, but my favorite dish is grits topped with shrimp, crab, scallops, fried oysters, any kind of seafood.
Who do you enjoy for the way they write about or portray sex and intimate relationships?
Toni Morrison, Toni Cade Bambara, Gloria Naylor, James Baldwin, and more recently, Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal & Nev) and Dantiel W. Moniz (Milk Blood Heat).
What’s a spot you love in Pittsburgh?
The ARTHouse/Love Front Porch in the Homewood neighborhood.
A LOOK BACK AT OUR PREVIOUS PICKS
MORE BOOKS AND AUTHORS WE LOVE
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Some of these books cover territory that isn’t often written about (for example…
12 New Books Keeping Us Company
Love affairs, a tale of the piano graveyard in Siberia, and a…
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN
Share what you’re reading, tag us @goop and #goopbookclub, send a book to someone to say you’re thinking of them, and tap your crew to connect with us in our new book club Facebook group. Talk soon.
We hope you enjoy the books recommended here. Our goal is to suggest only things we love and think you might, as well. We also like transparency, so, full disclosure: We may collect a share of sales or other compensation if you purchase through the external links on this page.