Good Dirt

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

There is something magical and mellifluous about Wilkerson’s writing. First with Black Cake and now with Good Dirt. This book is about Black people, their statuses in society, family histories, and love and loss. We meet Ebby and her brother Baz in the beginning, and their stories unfold through the book.

Throughout their childhood, Ebby and Baz are taught the history of Old Mo, the jar that has been in their family’s lives for generations. Made by an enslaved man, it has been in the family homes since the 1800s. When a tragedy takes both Baz and breaks the jar, the family must figure out how to live without them both.

As an adult, Ebby still struggles with the losses. But through various travels, Ebby begins to see who she is without them both. The jar was just as much a member of the family as her brother was, and losing them was catastrophic. This story was beautiful, full of love and joy and loss. Cannot recommend this one enough.