Good Dirt: A Novel

By Charmaine Wilkerson

Book Overview

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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593358368
• ISBN13: 9780593358368
• Release Date: January 2025
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Page-turning historical fiction

hanks to NetGalley & Penguin/Random House for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. This was a story of family, loss, grief, hope, and healing from Charmaine Wilkerson, the author of one of my favorite novels, "Black Cake." Her second book alternates between a few different timelines, including the 1800s and the present day. It’s told from a variety of characters’ viewpoints with shortish chapters that kept the action moving forward and kept me turning the pages. The multi-generational epic was historical fiction with a mystery, always intriguing, and focused on exploring family secrets, trauma, identity, and freedom. Told primarily through the growth of main character Ebby Freeman, this is a well-researched portrayal of one family’s history including their ancestors’ time as slaves up to the present day when they are a well-to-do, successful African American family in New England. The author skillfully weaves the past and present to create a memorable and encouraging story of the human spirit. This would make a great book club choice, as there were so many emotions and experiences that readers are sure to identify with and want to discuss. I also liked the way the author hints at the outcome of one part of the plot, without being definite. (No spoilers)!