This was my first James McBride and I'm so glad I read this heartfelt novel about a community. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but it's a lovely story.

This was my first of McBride's! And after hearing allllll the hype for this one, I finally picked it up. While it might not have lived up to said hype (an often impossible feat), I did really enjoy it. At times it was hard to keep track of all the characters – and how they were connected – which pulled me out of the story a bit. That also left me a little confused by the ending, but after I went back and reread it I was able to connect all the dots. This is a great book to read and discuss with others (I appreciated it much more after listening to some podcasts and hearing other people's thoughts). Definitely worth picking up and feels like a good intro to his work.

A complex, nuanced, and extremely readable work of beauty. With a richly evoked historical setting and characters conceived with depth and complexity.

Wonderful character-driven story with another of McBride's colorful communities, taking place in the old neighborhood Chicken Hill..
There are many secrets held tightly in Chicken Hill, one comes to the surface with the discovery of skeletal remains found while digging on a construction site in the community.

Bestselling author of Deacon King Kong and The Good Lord Bird returns with a new book. Author James McBride's novel, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, focuses on the small town of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Moche and his wife Chona run a small grocery store that serves the Jewish community, immigrants, and Black residents. He also runs a local integrated theatre that brings in popular music acts. We see the ups and downs of this small community and its dark secrets. They stick together despite constant troubles.

This was an immersive, emotional, educational, and, at times, thrilling read. McBride sets up the community and its characters from Moche and Chona, Malachi, Addie, Nate, Fatty, Dodo, and more. They deal with a racist town and fiendish government agendas who kidnap Dodo since he is deaf. A heist is panned. Water must be tapped, and an accidental murder happens. This is an engaging and educational read.

Favorite Passages:

“And from there, every single bit of that who-shot-John nonsense got throwed into the Schuylkill, and from there, it flowed into the Chesapeake Bay down in Maryland, and from there, out to the Atlantic. And that’s where the bones of that rotten scoundrel whose name is not worthy to be called by my lips is floating to this day. At the bottom of the ocean, with the fish picking his bones and the devil keeping score.”

Nate Timblin was a man who, on paper, had very little. Like most Negroes in America, he lived in a nation with statutes and decrees that consigned him as an equal but not equal, his life bound by a set of rules and regulations in matters of equality that largely did not apply to him. His world, his wants, his needs were of little value to anyone but himself. He had no children, no car, no insurance policy, no bank account, no dining-room set, no jewelry, no business, no set of keys to anything he owned, and no land. He was a man without a country living in a world of ghosts, for having no country meant no involvement and not caring for a thing beyond your own heart and head, and ghosts and spirits were the only thing certain in a world where your existence was invisible. The truth was, the only country Nate knew or cared about, besides Addie, was the thin, deaf, twelve-year-old boy who at the moment was either riding a freight train to Philadelphia or was a full-blown ghost wearing a schoolboy cap, old boots, and a ragged shirt and vest standing ten feet from him tossing small boulders into the Manatawny Creek before his eyes. Which one was it?

Nate was silent a moment. He peered up the slight embankment, toward the shed and the house, thinking to himself of all that was wrong in the world. So many of God’s dangers, he thought, are not the gifts they appear to be.

These lost people spread across the American countryside, bewildered, their yeshiva education useless, their proud history ignored, as the clankety-clank of American industry churned around them, their proud past as watchmakers and tailors, scholars and historians, musicians and artists, gone, wasted. Americans cared about money. And power. And government. Jews had none of those things; their job was to tread lightly in the land of milk and honey and be thankful that they were free to walk the land without getting their duffs kicked—or worse. Life in America was hard, but it was free, and if you worked hard, you might gain some opportunity, maybe even open a shop or business of some kind.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free reader. Wow. This book is so unique and well written and definitely one that will stay with me. I had delayed starting it because it has a bit of a rough start and the content is so important and yet heartbreaking. I noticed that it was on Obama's book list too, and I can see why. Thank you for this important book.

*Spoilers* Great description. Originally a little difficult to get into but the description eventually brings you into the story of Moshe and Chona. Very character driven story, much like Their Eyes Were Watching God. There is a plot but because the story is so character driven, it makes the plot really seem like the everyday occurrences in the lives of these individuals. I don’t think there is one character that I dislike (besides Doc Roberts and Son of Man). I really like Chona though it’s sad that much of her role in the story is her dealing with her health. I also like the incorporation of Dodo’s story and how everyone comes together to try to save him. The novel also reminds me of Morrison’s work (especially Sula) on the Black people of a specific town/area, thought McBride’s work includes the lives of Jewish Americans.

Though the story is very character driven, most of the introduced characters drove the plot of rescuing Dodo and fulfilling Chona’s wish and purpose of protecting Dodo. The novel ends with the satisfying conclusion of Dodo’s life on a farm in South Carolina with Nate and Addie and how he eventually has a family of his own. He dies at old age thanks to the work of Nate, Chona, and Monkey Pants, though most of the characters played a direct or indirect role in getting him to safety. Besides Chona’s assault and death, the saddest part in the novel is the sexual assault of Dodo by Son of Man and the death of Monkey Pants right after he interrupted the assault. Though Son of Man and Doc Roberts experience karmic retribution, and Dodo gets a happy life, it’s hard not to feel for the too soon deaths of Chona and Monkey Pants and for other living characters such as Moshe and Nate.

I loved Paper, Miggy, and Fatty. They were great and clever characters who knew everyone, knew about everyone, and knew how to work around tough situations like Dodo’s placement at Pennhurst by the State. There were some characters that I could not understand why they were a major focus like Malachi. Overall, a fantastic novel that shows the shared struggle of two marginalized groups in America who must overcome oppression and cruelty through working together.

Living. It far from Pottstown, I truly enjoyed this book and James McBride is a delight to read. Many times I forgot I was reading a book and actually felt I was part of the story. It’s no wonder this book has remained on the Bestsellers list - a true gem of a book!

This book has amazing characters and was well written. I enjoyed how all the characters converged at the end of the book. my favorite characters scenes were at the mental hospital

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store has all the ingredients for a great historical novel: a tight-knit community in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, a mysterious skeleton found in a well, and 1930s setting rich with cultural and racial tensions. The story promises to explore themes of racism, love, sacrifice, and the power of community as we go back in time to Chicken Hill, a neighborhood where Jewish immigrants and African Americans live side by side.

At the heart of the novel is the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, run by Moshe Ludlow and his wife, Chona. Her determination to protect Dodo, a deaf Black boy, from a cruel institution sets off a series of events that challenge the community's loyalties and uncover buried secrets. It sounds like a gripping premise, but the execution falls flat.

Despite the book’s beautiful writing, I found it overly long and, frankly, disconnected. The narrative meanders through too many characters and subplots that ultimately lead nowhere. The constant jumping between timelines and perspectives made it difficult to keep track of the sprawling cast, and I quickly grew tired of trying.

I wanted to love this book, but finishing it felt like a chore. It begins with an interesting hook, but the slow pace and lack of direction left me bored and disappointed. Perhaps it’s just a matter of timing, but for now, this one didn’t work for me. 2 stars.

** Thanks to the publisher for a comp of this title. The opinions are my own.

The reviews are all over the place on this one, but I really enjoyed it.

I loved the close-knit community. I loved learning about Jewish and Black expeiriences in the 1930s. I loved the zillion characters coming together to play their parts in keeping Dodo safe.

Okay, so it didn’t change me, like Deacon King Kong, but James McBride is now an auto-buy author for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this intricate ARC.

I read and re-read the first 30% of this book. I wanted to like it so much!! The writing is very good - there is just too much going on and too many characters. The switching back and forth was very confusing.

I know that customers will want to read this novel but I personally can't recommend it.

Beautiful writing, hard to connect to and a plethora of characters

A masterful blend of compassion and historical insight that portrays the complex dynamics of race and religion in a small-town community during the 1930s and 1940s. After the death of a beloved member of the community, Jewish and Black residents of Chicken Hill come together to try to protect Dodo, a deaf Black boy, from institutionalization. The humor in this book is often mentioned in reviews, but much of the story is also heavy and intense.

I didn’t know what I was getting in to with this! So many characters, funny and weird backstories, odd intersections of peoples and cultures, and a surprising plot line. Really fascinating. Felt like a Coen brothers movie. Kind of feel like I need to go back and reread to make sense of all the details.

James McBride’s The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is a masterful exploration of community, resilience, and the intersection of race, religion, and history in America. With his signature blend of vibrant storytelling and deep empathy, McBride crafts a compelling narrative that delves into the lives of the inhabitants of Chicken Hill, a diverse and tightly knit neighborhood in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

The novel centers around the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, run by Chona Ludlow, a Jewish immigrant who has become an integral part of the predominantly Black community. Chona's store is more than just a place to buy goods; it is a hub of support, connection, and solidarity. Through her acts of kindness and her willingness to help those in need, Chona embodies the spirit of community that permeates the novel.

McBride introduces a rich tapestry of characters, each with their own stories and struggles. Moshe Ludlow, Chona’s husband, is a compassionate figure who runs a theater and provides employment and entertainment to the local residents. Nathan "Nat" Sherman, a young Black boy with a disability, becomes a central figure as the community rallies to protect him from the oppressive forces threatening their way of life. Through these characters, McBride explores themes of love, loyalty, and the fight against systemic injustice.

The narrative is set against the backdrop of the 1930s, a time of economic hardship and social upheaval. McBride’s meticulous attention to historical detail brings the era to life, capturing the challenges and vibrancy of Chicken Hill. The author’s portrayal of the neighborhood is both realistic and affectionate, highlighting the resilience and resourcefulness of its residents.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its exploration of the intersections between different cultures and religions. The relationship between the Jewish and Black communities in Chicken Hill is portrayed with nuance and depth, emphasizing shared experiences of marginalization and mutual support. McBride deftly navigates these cultural dynamics, illustrating how solidarity and empathy can transcend racial and religious boundaries.

McBride’s prose is lyrical and evocative, imbuing the story with warmth and humanity. His characters are vividly drawn, each with a distinct voice and presence that adds to the richness of the narrative. The dialogue is sharp and authentic, capturing the rhythms and cadences of the community’s speech. The author’s ability to blend humor with poignant moments creates a balanced and engaging reading experience.

The novel’s pacing is steady, with McBride skillfully weaving together multiple storylines to build a cohesive and immersive narrative. The tension mounts as the community faces external threats, culminating in a powerful and emotionally resonant climax. Through it all, McBride maintains a focus on the importance of community and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

In conclusion, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is a beautifully crafted novel that showcases James McBride’s talent for storytelling and his deep understanding of the complexities of human relationships. With its rich character development, historical authenticity, and exploration of timely themes, the book is a poignant and uplifting read. McBride’s portrayal of Chicken Hill and its residents serves as a testament to the power of community, empathy, and resilience in the face of adversity. This novel is a must-read for anyone interested in stories that celebrate the human spirit and the bonds that unite us.

This book grabs the reader from the very first page. The story of the community, the mystery, adn the cultural commentary combine to create an unforgettable read.

While there certainly is a cast of characters in this novel, McBride masterfully brings their souls alive to the reader with limited words. While primarily a tale of the struggles faced by the Jewish and Black communities in rural pre-war Pennsylvania, there are lovable Italians, Germans and Whites peppered throughout the tale. Love, human dignity and pride are the pervasive themes. Have tissue near for the ending. I particularly enjoyed the strong, tough as nails female characters.

Everyone is loving this book. I liked it very much, the story was great, the characters were pretty well defined, but there was no indication of setting whatsoever. That bothered me.

A powerful look at racism, family and relationships. Follow along through a murder mystery, racism, institutional corruption and at the heart a story of the power of love and family.

This book has been popular at my library since it was released, so I knew I was going to enjoy it. I can finally discuss this book with my patrons and know what they're talking about!