The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

Kofi, Sylvia, and Laura discuss Deeshaw Philyaw's The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, a short story collection that won the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Philyaw's stories look at the interior lives of Black women with a focus on themes of mother-daughter relationships, identity, coming-of-age, the Black church, and sex. In this episode, Kofi, Sylvia, and Laura focus on their impressions of three stories: "How to Make Love to a Physicist," "Jael," and "Snowfall." Also, find out their book recommendations to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May). ​