Good Dirt: one woman's emotional journey into the past to find her future

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson is the story of one woman’s journey to piece together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom and finds herself in the process. When Ebby Freeman was ten years old, a gunshot shattered her family and a priceless heirloom as her beloved brother, Baz, lying on the floor and the centuries old jar in pieces next to him. As the case goes unsolved, it remains a point of interest for the public as the Freemans are one of the only Black families in a very well-to-do neighborhood of New England. As Ebby’s fiancé leaves her at the altar, the family’s history is once again a source of public talk. To escape the scrutiny and heal her wounded heart, Ebby flees to France. As she begins to process her family’s suffering and her own heartache, she discovers the key to her future is in the handcrafted pottery, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. 

After reading Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson’s beautiful debut, I knew I was in for an emotional journey with the characters of Good Dirt. And Good Dirt did not disappoint. Without knowing the full history of the jar, my heart broke when I read how it shattered and it broke more as the stories involving the jar were revealed. I loved how Ebby finds her future in the stories of her family’s past and finds strength of her ancestors within herself. Ms Wilkerson beautifully tackles grief, racism, the importance of our ancestries, mental health and trauma. I especially loved her portrayal of how deep and complex grief can be even years after the events. Good Dirt has a bit of mystery woven with history, romance and drama. It is a book that you will need to take your time reading, especially after the highly emotional chapters, in order to really absorb and digest what happened. I highly recommend Good Dirt. 

Good Dirt is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook