Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction Winner of the Gotham Book PrizeOne of Barack Obama's "Favorite Books of the Year"Oprah's Book Club PickNamed one of the Top Ten Books of the Year by the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and TIME Magazine A Washington Post Notable Novel From the author of the National Book Award–winning The Good Lord Bird and the bestselling modern classic The Color of Water, comes one of the most celebrated novels of the year. In September 1969, a fumbling, cranky old church deacon known as Sportcoat shuffles into the courtyard of the Cause Houses housing project in south Brooklyn, pulls a .38 from his pocket, and, in front of everybody, shoots the project’s drug dealer at point-blank range. The reasons for this desperate burst of violence and the consequences that spring from it lie at the heart of
Deacon King Kong, James McBride’s funny, moving novel and his first since his National Book Award–winning
The Good Lord Bird. In
Deacon King Kong, McBride brings to vivid life the people affected by the shooting: the victim, the African-American and Latinx residents who witnessed it, the white neighbors, the local cops assigned to investigate, the members of the Five Ends Baptist Church where Sportcoat was deacon, the neighborhood’s Italian mobsters, and Sportcoat himself. As the story deepens, it becomes clear that the lives of the characters—caught in the tumultuous swirl of 1960s New York—overlap in unexpected ways. When the truth does emerge, McBride shows us that not all secrets are meant to be hidden, that the best way to grow is to face change without fear, and that the seeds of love lie in hope and compassion. Bringing to these pages both his masterly storytelling skills and his abiding faith in humanity, James McBride has written a novel every bit as involving as
The Good Lord Bird and as emotionally honest as
The Color of Water. Told with insight and wit,
Deacon King Kong demonstrates that love and faith live in all of us.
Deacon King Kong: A Novel by James McBride
In the vibrant and tumultuous 1960s, a small community in Brooklyn is thrown into chaos when a beloved local character, Deacon King Kong, falls victim to a senseless act of violence. As the community grapples with the aftermath of this tragedy, they embark on a journey of healing, forgiveness, and ultimately, hope.
Deacon King Kong is a powerful and moving novel that explores the complexities of race, class, and family in America. McBride's writing is lyrical and evocative, bringing the characters and their struggles to life in vivid detail. The novel is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, social justice, or simply a great story well told.
About the Author
James McBride is an American novelist, musician, and screenwriter. He is best known for his novel The Color of Water, which won the National Book Award in 1996. McBride's other novels include Deacon King Kong, which won the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction, and Song Yet Sung. McBride is also a musician and has released several albums, including Red Clay Dreams and Bring on the Sun.
Reviews
"Deacon King Kong is a tour de force. McBride has written a novel that is both timely and timeless, a story that speaks to the heart of the American experience." —The New York Times Book Review
"A powerful and moving novel that explores the complexities of race, class, and family in America. McBride's writing is lyrical and evocative, bringing the characters and their struggles to life in vivid detail." —The Washington Post
"A must-read for anyone interested in American history, social justice, or simply a great story well told." —The Boston Globe
