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4.5 out of 5
90.91% of customers are satisfied
5.0 out of 5 stars It does move heaven and earth for the reader
James McBride is an accomplished saxophonist/jazz musician. I knew that going into the book. (Oh, digression--did you know that he also played with the band, The Remainders? That’s a band with other writers like Amy Tan, Dave Barry, Barbara Kingsolver, Stephen King, Maya Angelou and several others who played for charity and fundraising). Anyway, I mention his musicianship because I see it all over the pages of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.This is the first book I’ve read by McBride (definitely more to come), so pardon my schoolgirlish, giggly first crush for the way that his writing lifts me up, how his words and characters opened my heart, only to break it, and then put it back together in a most absolute and tender way. James McBride is a kind, gentle soul, and his writing reflects this—his ability to bring the world together in a novel. He honors humanity. We are all connected, and this author compels that naturally from his characters. Now, how great is that, yeah?I want to put this in your hands and promise you a magnificent reading experience. It starts off in a shaggy dog kind of way, with an ensemble of characters, several who possess whimsical names like Fatty, Big Soap, Monkey Pants, Dodo. And their names fit flawlessly to their nature. The story starts with a 1972 prologue—a human skeleton is found in an old abandoned well, and then the body of the story begins in 1936 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, a place called Chicken Hill, where Jews, immigrants, and Black folks lived side by side, sometimes in harmony, other times in discord, but here’s the thing—the goodness of people, the kindness of their hearts—that is what ultimately rises to the top.For the story to unfold, there has to be some sinister aspects, too—aren’t we still fighting the fight of ignorance, bigotry, corruption, meanness? But, in the McBride world, well, we also follow the long stretch of yarn as it wends around this way and that, through streets and backyards, dirt roads, onto hills and a shul and a church, through tunnels and a dance hall. And The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.I don’t need to rehash the plot, but there are a few fun facts about this book worth mentioning in a review. Such as, there are an abundance of characters introduced early on, and then again later on, before the plot actually launches. That’s the shaggy part. We don’t get to the plot too quickly—instead, Mcbride takes his time, builds the characters. They are already leaping off the pages by the time the plot rolls in.There are subplots, too, but in the end, they all weave their chords and come together. McBride may slow your roll at first, but it’s a winning bonanza of breadth and depth, from the smallest detail to the broadest design. Scenes that seem initially inconsequential become key notes later on.Early on, we meet the arresting Jewess, Chona. Chona is an unforgettable female protagonist—I’m keeping her in my journal of best. female. characters. ever. She is handicapped with a limp—but her limp doesn’t stop her strength of purpose, her fierce dignity, her bounteous benevolence, her gentle grace, and her consummate integrity. You will fall in love with her, just like Moshe, the theater and dance hall owner, did. Moshe and Chona dared to welcome change and inclusivity to their part of the world.At this time, in the 1930s, Black people were almost exclusively cast in menial jobs. But Moshe books Black jazz bands to play at his theater, and successfully includes all tribes together at the dance hall, who “frolicked and laughed, dancing as if they were birds enjoying flight for the first time.” Chona runs the grocery store, and extends credit to anyone who can’t afford to pay; she rarely keeps a record of their debt. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store may lose money, but it is rich in goodwill and kindness.Back to this being like a musical book—a jazzy book. Jazz music conjures that raspy, soulful, edgy flavor, blended from a mix of cultures and harmonies. McBride embraces those diverse, insistent, zingy, soul-stirring rhythms and blues into the narrative threads of his novel. I can hear the swing and the chase, the boogie and the blues, the sounds that go everywhere at once and jelly roll the story within a complex set of fusion and feelings. It’s also just a damned good story!The narrative pulls you here and there, up and down, and when you meet Dodo, the sweet and barely teenaged deaf kid, your protective instincts will wrap yourself around him and never want to let him go. And, when Dodo meets Monkey Pants—well, this right there—the heart of the novel that will break you in pieces.At times, I had a wellspring of tears—not just for joy or anguish. Sure, comedy and tragedy fill these pages. But McBride’s natural humanity and gentle nature is the colossal, phenomenal heart of the book. The author steps aside, he doesn’t ever intrude. The core of the narrative are the characters. Their cacophony becomes a coda for living large.This tale made me want to be better, to do better, to open my eyes to all the missed connections, to fix the broken chords and forge new ones, and seek eternally to strengthen them. We are humanity, we are the essential substance to add love to the world, one modest good deed at a time. That is The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.
4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 Stars for The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store (if I could give a half)!
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store poignant look at relationships, redemption, racism and the American dream. The author, James McBride introduces us to a series of characters living in Pottstown, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas, focusing on the residents of a community called Chicken Hill in the 1930s. Chicken Hill is home to Pottstown’s Jewish immigrants, Blacks coming from the South during The Great Migration and immigrants from other European countries. The Heaven & Earth grocery store is owned by a Jewish couple, Chona and Moshe and serves the residents of Chicken Hill. The novel is mostly centered around a 12 year old deaf boy named Dodo, but each character introduced (and there are a lot) also has a story. I gave 4.5 stars because the book has a slow start and it is hard to keep the characters straight, but stick with it! As the book progresses and there is an incident involving Dodo, the characters and their stories begin to connect and the result is an emotional, touching, sometimes infuriating, engrossing story. McBride tells the story in an interesting way with complex dialogue and character development through flashbacks and memories that explain how and why they are the way they are as the events with Dodo begin to unfold and every character is involved or becomes involved in some way. I both read and sometimes listened to The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store and enjoyed both.
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it! Characters are real
What a great read! So full of culture, personalities, compassion and struggle. It sure illustrates the power of one simple compassionate life and its effect on a whole community. If you want to laugh, cry, get angry and rejoice this is your read!
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book
This book was a pick by another member of my book club but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing was wonderful and the characters enjoyable and it nteresting. The book gives you a understanding of the time period and the struggles of immigrants and poor people.
4.0 out of 5 stars Great for a Book Club
This is a well written book with a good story . The beginning chapters were rough. They didn't flow well as the cadence was off and therefore the story felt like it stumbled along . It needed better descriptions of physical characteristics of the people and places in the novel . It also desperately needed humor. The book is grimly compelling. There are many profound and memorable moments in this book.1930's America was not the promised land of easy living for immigrants and it still isn't today.The book does a decent job of portraying life for people who are not male WASP in 1930's Pennsylvania.It takes place in a community on the outskirts of the main town. The people of the Hill, who are viewed as " less than " by the mainstream WASP town people, are vibrant and hardworking people who are important to the town even if the town does not acknowledge that.The community on the Hill is diverse. Their are many different types of Jewish people, "Disabled" ,Blacks, Germans, Italian , and Latino people living there all tied together by Chona, Moshe, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and the Theater.Chona, "Dodo", and " Monkey Pants " are what keeps the story hopeful and compelling.The book does have the underlying message of "White Privilege" makes it almost impossible for anyone other than able bodied male WASP to arrive at their full potential and that immigrants lives are hard. At times the reader feels like this is just a message on continuous repeat. Although on the surface the message of book is that is that if you are not Male, White, Anglo Saxon Protestant like the original founders of the United States Constitution life is hard, it is really a book about community and how we can all make life better for one another if we stay united and work together.It's a good " book club" read but needs humor.
5.0 out of 5 stars a beautiful and powerful story of courage, determination, and love
This powerful story will haunt me and enrich my life for years to come. The characters are beautifully drawn and so easy to love for their compassion and humility. Highest recommendations for this treasure!
Rich in history, style, love and life
This was a book club choice, I was uncertain about after reading some negative reviews. Caught me by surprise, and enjoyed every page. Glad to have read on Kindle to check meanings of many words. The book could have been meaningful in 2024 as it was in 1920+. Rich characters, descriptions of places which you can hear and smell. Long time since I have read such a quality writing. It brought me to small European places where growing up, the language and spoken word with incredible humour in happy or difficult times was familiar and alive to me.
An absolute delight!
An intertwined story about negroes, jews and whites. James McBride knows all three very well , he is Jewish and Black , presumably with a white Jewish mother. All the characters are well fleshed out with dialog befitting the times. A wonderful find.
This is a Great Book
Absolutely Brilliant Book what a story from start to finish not often a story grips like that memorable beautifully written
Difficult read
Didn’t enjoy the book at all . The story was a good one , but the unravelling of the plot was uninteresting, and language difficult to followDisappointing book
Danke!
A necessary step in the right direction. Many thanks and do keep going. Don‘t let us give up. never. never.
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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store: A Novel
BHD11247
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Product origin: United States
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