Good Dirt
by Charmaine Wilkerson
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NATIONAL BESTSELLER - The daughter of an affluent Black family pieces together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom in this moving novel from the bestselling author of Black Cake, a Read with Jenna Book Club Pick
"Engrossing . . . Wilkerson masterfully weaves these threads of love, loss and legacy [into] a thoroughly researched and beautifully imagined family saga."--The New York Times
When ten-year-old Ebby Freeman heard the gunshot, time stopped. And when she saw her brother, Baz, lying on the floor surrounded by the shattered pieces of a centuries-old jar, life as Ebby knew it shattered as well.
The crime was never solved--and because the Freemans were one of the only Black families in a particularly well-to-do enclave of New England--the case has had an enduring, voyeuristic pull for the public. The last thing the Freemans want is another media frenzy splashing their family across the papers, but when Ebby's high profile romance falls apart without any explanation, that's exactly what they get.
So Ebby flees to France, only for her past to follow her there. And as she tries to process what's happened, she begins to think about the other loss her family suffered on that day eighteen years ago--the stoneware jar that had been in their family for generations, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. But little does she know that the handcrafted piece of pottery held more than just her family's history--it might also hold the key to unlocking her own future.
In this sweeping, evocative novel, Charmaine Wilkerson brings to life a multi-generational epic that examines how the past informs our present.
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Book Details
- ISBN
- 9780593358368
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Authors
- Charmaine Wilkerson
- Publisher
- Ballantine Books
- Published Date
- January 28, 2025
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 368
- Physical Info
- 1.24 in H x 9.4 in L x 6.42 in W (1.18 lb)
This book failed to move me emotionally. I understand how the history of this family’s relatives suffered in the past. Then, of course, they suffered with the death of their son. However, I do not think it delivered enough depth to make the charters come alive.
This book kept me up alley night! It was so personal, I felt like I was a part of the story even though I'm an old, white, Jewish woman. The story went back and forth in time but never felt scattered. So well written. I really enjoyed it and loved the history it shared.
My book group enjoyed this one. A good story about family secrets.
At first, this book seemed like a light romantic read. But quickly it became far more than that. By the time I was halfway through, I couldn’t put it down. The characters are flawed humans, like all of us, but believable and multi-faceted. Real. The story is one of family and Black history writ small and yet universal. I’m so very glad I chose this book and will now reader this author’s first novel, Black Cake. PS I read voraciously, but this is only the 3rd time I’ve written a review for an author whom I don’t know either directly or indirectly.
Omg !! I usually read memoir books a lot but was getting off reading them so I took a break to find a book that caught my attention & good storyline. This book did both & overall the book is written phenomenal.
