Deacon King Kong by James McBride

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Deacon King Kong by James McBride

Author: James McBride

1. Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction

   2. Winner of the Gotham Book Prize

3. One of Barack Obama’s “Favorite Books of the Year”

4. Oprah’s Book Club Pick

5. Named one of the Top Ten Books of the Year by the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly and TIME Magazine

6. 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.

[highlight color=”green”]Goodreads users review :[/highlight]

Storytelling at its best! It’s not often stories like these cross the radar. Having read others by James, this was truly unexpected. The world he’s created with Deacon, aka Sportcoat, a hard-drinking, storyteller with a heart of gold, and his sidekick, Hot Sausage, is one filled with challenge, cops, drug dealers, Mafia types and church women. The use of hilarious ghetto phrases (Yo cheese done slipped off yo cracker) adds to the fun, while the plot unravels steadily. Driven by themes of redemption, loyalty, trust and faith, Deacon clings to the ‘notion’ of his deceased wife who acts as his guide. While immersed in the Bedford Stuyvesant/Brooklyn community, I couldn’t help but think of Richard Russo’s books, though his focus is small towns. Characters of depth, plot twists and humor are important elements for reader engagement. McBride demonstrates his mastery by creating a compelling story that lingers in our hearts and minds. Jonathan K                                                                                             rated it: 5.0 from 5.0

Deacons, church ladies, corner boys, mobsters, moonshine, moonflowers, “white people” cheese, folklore, ghosts, gossip, looting, shooting, and goofing. This is one helluva romp. This book has heart, brains, and guts. What a wild ride. Darryl Suite                                                                                             rated it: 5.0 from 5.0