Why do I consider Deesha Philyaw’s The Secret Lives of Church Ladies a miracle?
Let me count the ways.
In a year of disruption, chaos, and uncertainty (albeit with a few bright spots—cough, goodbye Trump—cough), how wonderful to have the pleasant distraction of brilliant writing to put one’s mind in a more positive place.
Also, and not for nothing, as our collective attention spans are ceaselessly attacked by the info-overload of everything, it’s no small achievement for a book (any book) to grab your brain (not to mention your heart, your gut, your balls, etc.) and declare: you are mine. Getting swept away by a great book is always a blessing, but in 2020, it’s more so.
In a time where there’s no shortage of opinions regarding what seems an unbridgeable chasm (politically, culturally, spiritually, etc.) in our nation, one theme has resurfaced repeatedly since at least 2016: an obligation to step outside our carefully—if myopically—constructed bubbles and explore lives of those unlike us on both superficial and literal levels. We all owe Ms. Philyaw a debt for the one-two punch of illuminating lives that are, at best, less talked about (in literature, popular culture, and most definitely political discourse) and entertaining us while enlightening us.
Any book that can make a reader belly laugh and tear up is an achievement. A book that does this more than once? Special. And yes, a miracle of sorts. (It is, then, not surprising that another book that accomplished this feat was also a National Book Award finalist, Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain.)
One more thing. In a world where those richly deserving comeuppance seldom see it and the ones worthy of accolades rarely receive them, how wonderful, even redemptory it is seeing an author like Deesha Philyaw connecting with a large, enthusiastic audience. I particularly appreciated being able to briefly talk about community: the importance of it, and the dedication required to find, cultivate, and enjoy meaningful engagement with readers and writers—all the diverse micro communities that comprise an increasingly inclusive literary world.
Please support independent booksellers by purchasing your copy of Deesha’s book through our partners at D.C.’s historic The Potter’s House.
Deesha Philyaw’s debut short story collection, THE SECRET LIVES OF CHURCH LADIES was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction. THE SECRET LIVES OF CHURCH LADIES focuses on Black women, sex, and the Black church. Deesha is also the co-author of Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce, written in collaboration with her ex-husband. Her work has been listed as Notable in the Best American Essays series, and her writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The Rumpus, Brevity, dead housekeeping, Apogee Journal, Catapult, Harvard Review, ESPN’s The Undefeated, The Baltimore Review, TueNight, Ebony and Bitch magazines, and various anthologies. Deesha is a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and a past Pushcart Prize nominee for essay writing in Full Grown People. Find her online at https://www.deeshaphilyaw.com/
