Deacon King Kong: A Novel
Winner of the Gotham Book Prize
One of Barack Obama's "Favorite Books of the Year"
Oprah's Book Club Pick
Named 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 is a powerful and moving story set in 1960s Brooklyn. The novel tells the tale of Sportcoat, a young man who finds himself caught up in a world of crime and violence. After a fateful encounter with a deacon, Sportcoat is given a second chance and begins to turn his life around. However, the past comes back to haunt him when he is accused of a murder he didn't commit.
Deacon King Kong is a character-driven novel that explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the power of community. McBride's writing is lyrical and evocative, bringing the characters and setting to life. The novel is also full of humor and heart, making it a truly unforgettable read.
The novel was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction and won the 2021 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. It has been praised by critics and readers alike for its powerful storytelling and its insights into human nature.
Here are some things you might not know about Deacon King Kong:
- The novel is based on a true story. McBride's grandfather was a deacon who was accused of murder in 1969.
- The novel was originally published in 2020, but it was re-released in 2021 with a new introduction by the author.
- The novel has been adapted into a television series, which is currently in production.
- McBride is a musician and a writer. He has written several other novels, including The Color of Water and Song Yet Sung.
If you're looking for a powerful and moving story about redemption and forgiveness, then Deacon King Kong is the novel for you.
Rating:
