"James McBride Masters Historical Fiction" features guest James McBride, a master of storytelling and author of "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store." The podcast explores McBride's examination of the intersections of race and religion in his novels, his unique writing style punctuated with humor, and the challenge of crafting mysteries. It also discusses the importance of defending the freedom to read and supporting librarians. Ultimately, it offers insights into McBride's writing process and gratitude towards booksellers.
James McBride's novels blend serious subjects, such as race and mental health, with joy, humor, and beauty.
McBride emphasizes the importance of bookstores as community hubs and defenders of freedom of ideas.
Deep dives
James McBride's Writing Style and Influences
James McBride is a highly talented writer known for his beautiful and captivating sentences. His writing style, influenced by his background in music, exhibits a sense of rhythm and musicality. McBride's novels often feature characters with rich and complex backstories, and he excels at exploring the challenges and dynamics of race and community. While his books touch on serious subjects, such as the treatment of mental health and the history of Jewish and African-American communities in America, they also contain elements of joy, humor, and beauty. McBride's ability to blend these elements together creates a compelling reading experience.
The Inspiration Behind 'The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store'
In his latest novel, 'The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store,' James McBride draws inspiration from his own family history and the community dynamics of a historic neighborhood called Chicken Hill. The novel explores the cooperation and relationships between a black enclave and a Jewish enclave in Potstown, Pennsylvania during the 1970s. McBride's personal connection to this setting allows him to tell a story that examines the importance of community and cooperation. Through his writing, McBride tackles themes of race, mental health, and the transformative power of love, all while infusing the narrative with joy, humor, and beauty.
James McBride's Realistic Optimism
James McBride's writing reflects his realistic optimism and his belief in the power of individuals to comprehend and connect with one another. As an African-American author who explores the complexities of race, McBride is a realist who acknowledges the challenges faced by marginalized communities in America. However, he also exhibits an optimistic outlook, emphasizing the importance of kindness, understanding, and finding joy in the midst of adversity. McBride believes in the strength of communities and highlights the potential for positive change when people come together, empathize, and view each other as equals.
The Importance of Bookstores and Freedom of Ideas
During a conversation with the owner of Watch Home Booksellers, Margot Sage L., James McBride speaks about the significance of bookstores and the dangers of book banning. McBride emphasizes the role of bookstores as community hubs where people can engage with literature and share stories. He views bookstores and librarians as champions of freedom of ideas and essential in countering attempts to ban books. McBride highlights the need to defend the crucial role of libraries and challenge any attempts to restrict access to literature. According to him, books have the power to inspire, bring joy, and foster understanding among people from different backgrounds.
Kate often says that if she were a writer she would have trouble reading James McBride. It's hard not to hear a mic drop when you close the back cover. He is a master of storytelling; his sentences so packed with history, humor, and meaning that at times you forget what he was talking about, but you won't mind a bit. His writing often knocks off our socks, and his new novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, is no exception. For our bookstore this week? We let James choose one of his favorites, Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, New Jersey.
Books mentioned in this week's podcast:
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
Kill 'em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul by James McBride
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
Song Yet Sung by James McBride
Five-Carat Soul by James McBride
Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride