Synopses & Reviews
In a village torn apart by senseless violence, a young girl struggles to mute her passion for life to survive the strict social confines of her people. Catapulted into a series of abusive marriages, she soon becomes a woman unrecognizable from the little girl she once was. After her fifth husband is found bloody and beaten, she emerges amid the scandal and accusations to try to reclaim her life. With the same power as Zora Neale Hurston s Their Eyes Were Watching God, Toni Morrison s The Color Purple, and Anita Diamant s The Red Tent, Hendrick possesses a rare and timeless voice. Epic and intimate, Obery Hendricks uses both fine detail and broad strokes to crisply depict this period of early history. And in doing so, this sophisticated literary debut delivers a universal tale of liberation and reconciliation, love and faith.
Review
"The arguments implicit in this biblical re-creation are more social than theological, but Living Water should stir the settled deposits of anyone's devotion, clarifying one's faith even if it doesn't change it." Ron Charles, The Christian Science Monitor (read the entire CSM review)
Review
"Obery Hendricks is not just on the cutting edge, hes the knife." Cornel West
Review
"It is hard to believe that this is Hendricks first trip to the literary well."
Michael Eric Dyson, author of Making Malcolm: The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X, Race Rules : Navigating the Color Line
Review
"A divinely inspired bridge to a new level of self-awareness. A must read."
Iyanla Vanzant, best-selling author of Everyday I Pray and Up From Here
Synopsis
Sprung from the pages of The New Testament, Living Water is a gripping and lyrical portrayal of a young women's search for identity set against the strict social confines of the time. This extraordinary first novel brings to life one of the most mysterious and intriguing characters in the Bible -- the woman at the well.
About the Author
A former Wall Street investment executive, professional musician, and competitive martial artist, Obery Hendricks is the immediate past president of Payne Theological Seminary, the oldest African American seminary in the United States. He is currently a Visiting Scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Professor of Biblical Studies at New York Theological Seminary. This is his first novel.