Book Discussion - The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

ABOUT THE BOOK



The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store: A Novel by James McBride

In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows. Chicken Hill was where Moshe and Chona Ludlow lived when Moshe integrated his theater and where Chona ran the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. When the state came looking for a deaf boy to institutionalize him, it was Chona and Nate Timblin, the Black janitor at Moshe's theater and the unofficial leader of the Black community on Chicken Hill, who worked together to keep the boy safe. As these characters' stories overlap and deepen, it becomes clear how much the people who live on the margins of white, Christian America, struggle and what they must do to survive. When the truth is finally revealed about what happened on Chicken Hill and the part the town's white establishment played in it, McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community--heaven and earth--that sustain us. Miracle of St. Ana

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James McBride | Penguin Random House

James McBride is a celebrated American author, musician, and screenwriter known for his diverse and powerful storytelling. He gained widespread recognition for his memoir, The Color of Water, which explores his biracial identity and relationship with his white, Jewish mother. McBride's works often delve into themes of race, identity, and community, frequently drawing on his own experiences and family history. He is also the author of the National Book Award-winning novel, The Good Lord Bird, the story of John Brown, which was made into a Showtime miniseries and the historical novel Miracle at St. Anna, which was made into a movie in 2008, among other acclaimed books. In addition to his literary achievements, McBride is a talented musician, having toured with various jazz ensembles.

 

When

Location

2nd Floor Community Room

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