Irmi Horn
Human Rights Day is a commemorative day marking the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris on December 10, 1948.
To mark this occasion, Irmi Horn presents the author Sue Monk Kidd (born August 12, 1948, in Sylvester, Georgia, USA) and reads from her novel „The Secret Life of Bees“ („Die Bienenhüterin“).
Kidd studied nursing and worked in the healthcare field. Her first steps toward a writing career began with an essay published in „Reader’s Digest“. Her debut book, „God’s Joyful Surprise“, was released in 1988 and explored her spiritual experiences as a Christian.
She gained widespread recognition in 2002 with her book „The Secret Life of Bees“, which was adapted into a film in 2008. Her second book, „The Mermaid Chair“, was also adapted for the screen, and Oprah Winfrey secured the film rights to her 2014 novel, „The Invention of Wings“.
Lily’s mother died ten years ago. Her father rules over the now 14-year-old girl like a cruel, vengeful god. One day, Lily flees the oppressive atmosphere of her home, traveling along the dusty roads of the American South in search of a new place to live. Along the way, she encounters remarkable people, uses her courage and intelligence to save a life, and finds shelter with three women who—much like characters in a fairy tale—live together in perfect harmony. These three sisters provide the girl with everything she needs: love, support, and a sense of security. They welcome Lily into their family and initiate her into the secrets of feminine wisdom. Lily learns everything there is to know about beekeeping. She discovers the truth about her mother—whom she misses so achingly—and finds herself falling in love. But then, one day, her father appears at the garden gate.
„The Secret Life of Bees“ was adapted into a film by Gina Prince-Bythewood in 2008.
The story is set in South Carolina in 1964. Fourteen-year-old Lily Owens lives on the farm of her abusive father and is haunted by recurring nightmares about the death of her mother, Deborah—an event for which she feels responsible (Lily was four years old at the time). She finds a surrogate mother figure in Rosaleen Daise, her father’s Black housekeeper.
Following the passage of legislation guaranteeing voting rights for all Americans (the Civil Rights Act), Lily accompanies Rosaleen to a nearby town, where Rosaleen intends to register to vote. Instead, Lily is forced to watch as Rosaleen is beaten, taken into police custody, and subsequently hospitalized. Lily decides to break Rosaleen out of the hospital, and the two flee together.
Their journey leads them to the town of Tiburon, where Lily hopes to uncover information about her mother’s past. Unsure of exactly how to proceed, she and Rosaleen end up at the farm of a beekeeper named August and her sisters, June and May. There, Lily meets Zac, who works alongside August.