Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

Product Details

About the Book

Good Dirt introduces the Freemans, an affluent Black family with a long, well-documented history living in a New England neighborhood, proud holders of a century-old family heirloom: a stoneware jar affectionately known as "Old Mo." The jar was carried North generations earlier by an enslaved ancestor, and it carries far more than sentimental weight — it may hold the key to unlocking the family's future.

The story opens in the year 2000, when ten-year-old Ebby Freeman witnesses her fifteen-year-old brother Baz die from a gunshot wound during a home invasion gone wrong — a tragedy made even more devastating by the fact that the family's beloved jar is shattered to pieces in the same violent moment. The Freemans were the only Black family in their affluent New England community, a fact that shapes how the tragedy unfolds and how it's remembered.

Nearly two decades later, in 2018, Ebby returns to the public eye when her fiancé Henry leaves her at the altar without explanation, forcing her to confront her past all over again. She flees to France to process the pain, only to find that her history follows her there, drawing her back to thoughts of the broken jar and everything it once meant to her family.

Told through multigenerational strands spanning from West Africa to Long Island and from the 1800s to the present, the novel is as much a mystery as it is a family saga — an exploration of how the past continues to shape the present. Wilkerson researched 19th-century stoneware and pottery made by enslaved craftspeople, weaving that history directly into the emotional core of the story, and the narrative is built from a chorus of different character perspectives, each chapter opening by naming whose point of view the reader is in.

Why Choose This Book?

• From a beloved bestselling author: Wilkerson's sophomore novel following the celebrated Black Cake, a Read with Jenna Book Club pick.
• Rich multigenerational storytelling: Spans from the 1800s to the present day, and from West Africa to New England.
• A family heirloom at the heart of the story: A shattered stoneware jar ties tragedy, history, and hope together.
• Themes of grief, race, and resilience: A thoughtful exploration of trauma, inheritance, and identity within a Black American family.
• Critically acclaimed: Praised as an engrossing, thoroughly researched, and beautifully imagined family saga with a moving and hopeful ending.

About the Author: Charmaine Wilkerson

Charmaine Wilkerson is the author of Black Cake, a New York Times bestselling novel. An American writer, she spent much of her childhood living in the Caribbean and is now based in Italy. She is a former television journalist and an award-winning writer of short fiction.

Who Should Read This Book?

• Fans of multigenerational family sagas and literary historical fiction
• Readers who loved Black Cake and want more from Charmaine Wilkerson
• Anyone drawn to stories exploring race, inheritance, and family history in America
• Readers who enjoy mysteries interwoven with rich character-driven drama
• Book clubs seeking a discussion-rich pick with themes of grief, memory, and healing

Why Buy From Us?

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Order now and bring home Good Dirt — a moving story of family, history, and the fragile threads that hold us together.

A quick note: I drew this from reviews and the publisher's page since the book wasn't in your uploaded document. Worth double-checking details like the publisher (Ballantine Books) and release date (January 28, 2025) before publishing.