Play Book Tag discussion

The rambling way this is written takes a while to get into. Each sentence went off in multiple tangents taking half a page in some instances. But once you get used to that it moves right along.

Handyman and church deacon Sportcoat, named for his colorful attire, always drunk on his friend, Hot Sausage's King Kong (homemade liquor), spends his time on odd jobs and stumbling, grumbling discussions with his deceased wife. Then one day he brings his .45 to the flagpole bench area of the projects, where Deems, the project's 19 year old drug dealer is distributing, shoots him then wanders away.

Deems' injury takes him off the street for a while and affects a lot of people in the drug hierarchy. It also shakes up the people in the project and the church. Chapters focus on several of these people from their point of view.
As Sportcoat seems to not remember that he did it, he continues along as if nothing has happened.

This was a great story with an amazing amount of humor while at the same time giving a clear picture of life in the projects. It is set in 1969 and thereafter. McBride says he set it then because it is the year the Mets won the World Series (baseball being a big focus of Sportcoat's life) and the period when the projects were being split up by causeways and Italians, Jews and Blacks were transitioning in the projects.

Highly recommended

Great review of a great book. McBride grew up in the projects so I believe that the events, the terms, the nicknames, etc. are valid. I loved this book - won lots of awards, too. Thanks for a good review to remind me how good the book is. peace, janz

Wow! I just added this book to my Fall reading list. It has been on my TBR since it came out and I have a challenge I can fit it into for the Fall. Excellent review, thanks for sharing

My book group is going to do it together this fall.

Amy wrote: "My book group is going to do it together this fall."

It is a good one to have a discussion about.

I love seeing this title pop up in reviews! 😊
I absolutely loved this and the more I think about it the more I love it. I would love to re-read this someday.

Excited for you to read it, Amy!
I thought you had already read it.

Rambling is right, it was sometimes hard for me to see how the different parts went together but there were some great stories and a terrific sense of time and place. Kind of parallels Harlem Shuffle but a different segment of society.