Deacon King Kong (Oprah's Book Club) by James McBride
Deacon King Kong (Oprah's Book Club) by James McBride Book Summary
Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction
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 Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, 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 (Oprah's Book Club) Book Details
| Book Name | Deacon King Kong (Oprah's Book Club) |
| Genre | Black Literature |
| Author | James McBride |
| Published | 03 March 2020, Tuesday |
| Price | $14.99 |
| E-Book Size | 2.48 MB |
Deacon King Kong (Oprah's Book Club) by James McBride Book Reviews
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Beautifully Written. This was a beautifully written story. Well developed characters. Unexpected twist & turns. Sad realities portrayed in a light & humorous way. Loved it!
Deacon King Kong. I read to the end. Liked Sister Gee. The Eric arc was foolish.
Beautiful. This books starts off so rocky. The names alone are enough to make you stop reading. But they also so intriguing you want to know more about what the heck is going on. The development of each character evolves into the people you know someway or another. No matter what walk of life you are from you can relate to someone in this book. This is the first book that I have read by McBride but I will say he captured what it means to build a community. It truly does take a village and sometimes your village is surrounded by demons but with faith and trust in what is right God smiles on you and gives you exactly what you need to be the best version of yourself. Bravo for showing the world that good old fashion values are always what is most important no matter what walk of life you come from or what is thrown in your way. Even a fast ball!!
Incredible. Best book I ever read read in a year. Great characters, amazing story and awesome dialogue.
Spike Lee in literature form. Absolutely loved DKK from start to finish. Such an eclectic cast of characters that I found myself constantly going back to re-read so I could fully process and re-process all of the rich details McBride includes about them. The story can be heavy, but is ultimately an uplifting community tale filled with humor that really reminded me of what I love about Spike Lee’s filmography (which is funny, since Lee adapted McBride’s “Miracle at St. Anna”). Strongly recommend this for anyone looking for something that’s a fun read, yet thoroughly thought provoking.
Indelible. Deeply engrossing and satisfying storytelling with energetic yet poignant prose. Everyone once in awhile a book comes along that so captures the imagination that you mourn its ending. This is one of those books.
Great Story. This is an amazing, comical story of life, struggle, and growth. The story gets better over time and by the end one falls in love with each character and their journey. At first, it appeared to be a slow read without much meaning. However, you soon learn that each chapter had a unique purpose in the story of Deacon King Kong.
Great book. You would have thought I was watching a good movie while reading this book. I shed a tear once but mostly laughed out loud. I’m so glad I saw it being shared on social media.
One to savor. Beautiful writing, rich character studies, an ability to feel completely immersed in the complexity and humanity of a single chapter. I slowed down my reading on this one so I could savor its strength and beauty.
Deacon King Kong. Compelling story, interesting and well-developed characters, superb writing. Very creative way he pulled all the very diverse elements of the story together. Great mix of humor, sadness, and expressive affection for the human condition in all its sweetness and difficulty.
A Book You Hate to See End. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a lifetime of reading. It succeeds on every level and the characters will stay with you after the last page is turned.
Too dull to get through. Not worth the time
Long Live Deacon King Kong!. So, if you're southern then this book will speak it you in such a gracious way. The dialect reminded me of my grandparents. It was such an easy read what actually spoke about so heavy issues. It was funny. It was loving. And it was compassionate. A great read for troubling times.
Nice. Can be a bit confusing at first but is wonderful, funny, and realistic to some extent
Awesome Book!. This story had so many twists and turns in it to keep you reading in want of knowing what happens next. Anyone looking for a great story this is it.
Excellent. Serious but with humor, sensitivity, and love
rrerrreeeorrtedrrrr. Right r
AMAZING. The characters in this story are so rich and colorful. I’m going to read it again- enjoyed it so much! A must read!
I love you my love. You are the best ever and you patience it’s fenomenal we work allways with
A Good Ole Black Story. One of my favorite reads. So specific and visceral. MUST READ!
Very bad. Bad
Deacon King Kong. Exceptional. Filled with love and hope and respect for our American past. Loved it!
Wonderful. This is a very well done African American historical fiction book. It’s filed with cultural anecdotes!
Fabulous thought provoking tapestry. A complicated tale of loyalty, the repercussions of a diaspora, god, gangsters, and love, but most of all a touching depiction of Sportcoat Deacon who in his inimitable bumbling drunken fashion turns his world upside down.
What a Read. I started out confused with all of the fabricated names. The middle seemed to drag, but then Wow! All of the description and character development crescendoed into a touching, moving, funny yet sad ending. Excellent book and I feel I gained insight and a new thoughtfulness.
Too much. Waaaaaay to many characters whose lives where too unimportant to invest myself in. I only made it 1/4 of the way thru, and literally had to force myself to go THAT far.
A. We w saw e wwwaaaassaawwttw
A jaunt through life. This story teller describes every human condition finding the humorous in the absurdity of our foibles.
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5 Books like Deacon King Kong (Oprah's Book Club) (James McBride)
James McBride (born September 11, 1957) is an American writer and musician. He is the recipient of the 2013 National Book Award for fiction for his novel The Good Lord Bird. Early life McBride's father, Rev. Andrew D. McBride (August 8, 1911 – April 5, 1957) was African-American; he died of cancer at the age of 45. His mother, Ruchel Dwajra Zylska (name changed to Rachel Deborah Shilsky, and later to Ruth McBride Jordan; April 1, 1921 – January 9, 2010), was a Jewish immigrant from Poland. James was raised in Brooklyn's Red Hook housing projects until he was seven years old and was the last child Ruth had from her first marriage, the last child of Rev. Andrew McBride, and the eighth of 12 children. McBride states: I'm proud of my Jewish history....Technically I guess you could say I'm Jewish since my mother was Jewish...but she converted (to Christianity). So the question is for theologians to answer. ... I just get up in the morning happy to be living." His memoir, The Color of ....
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