Life was good when Ed and Soh Freeman moved from Massachusetts to an affluent Connecticut shoreline community with their son Baz and daughter Ebby. As a reminder of the hardships their now prominent Black family had overcome, they brought with them a large clay jar crafted by an enslaved potter, which Ed's ancestor carried with him while escaping slavery. The jar, known as "Old Mo," was central to family stories and folklore passed down through generations. However, their lives were shattered during a home robbery with ten-year-old Ebby present. The family heirloom was also destroyed. This tragedy profoundly affected everyone, including Ebby, who, as an adult, faced new heartbreak. She travels to France to escape. The present-day story is intertwined with tales of Morris, the creator of "Old Mo," and Edward "Willis" Freeman, who fled the South as a stowaway on a whaling ship. Can the family history help the Freeman family heal?
As a big admirer of Charmaine Wilkerson's wonderful debut Black Cake and its television series adaptation, Good Dirt was high on my must-read list. This beautifully written book addresses difficult themes including generational trauma, grief, and racism, yet it retains a sense of hope with its many resilient and memorable characters throughout the years. I was deeply moved.
Many thanks to Random House | Ballantine Books for providing an advance copy of this book.
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Historical and Contemporary Fiction.
Publication Date: January 28, 2025.
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