Good Dirt
Good Dirt
By: Charmaine Wilkerson
“to tell your story was to experience a kind of freedom…”
“This was the true miracle of life, he thought. No so much to be born as to bear up under what comes your way. To find a way forward. To embrace what was good.”
This one was hard to put down. It is a well-crafted story that explores grief and trauma and the way family history shapes our identities.
I have not read Wilkerson’s debut novel, the highly rated novel called Black Cake, but it seems like similar themes probably flow through both books. I think this one would probably make a good book club book so I’ve included a list of potential book club discussion questions at the end of this review for anyone interested in that.
I will say that there is a lot going on in this book. The chapters are short, helping with the pacing and the ‘hard to put down’ part, but also helping with all the various POVs and the historic timelines. The main characters are evident and have more space in the book, but many other characters are introduced and then will get a brief chapter focused on them— probably could have had less of that.
I didn’t find it too hard to follow. It helps that Wilkerson tended to make the first sentence say the name of whatever character’s POV it was from so you knew right away where you were. The chapters that took place in the 1800s was the harder timeline to grasp in lining things up in your head, but even then, still not too bad.
I enjoyed the themes in this book and found many of them thought-provoking. I also appreciated that there was an ongoing ‘mystery’ aspect to the story that gave an extra thread of engagement.
Plot Basics
The book begins in 2000 as we witness the tragic home invasion of the Freeman house in Massachusetts where not only their cherished family heirloom (a jar thrown by an enslaved potter in the 1800s) is broken but ten-year-old Ebony’s brother Baz is shot and killed at the young age of fifteen.
They are the only two home and Ebby was the one who called 911 as she watched her brother die. The trauma of that does not go away easily. It didn’t help that as one of the only black families in the wealthy neighborhood, and her family being well-known in general, the spotlight never truly leaves them. She feels always known as “the little black girl who had survived a suburban tragedy.”
The spotlight, then, shines ever brighter as the twentieth anniversary of Baz’s death is on the horizon and Ebby is shockingly stood up on her wedding day with no communication of her would-be husband.
“Henry Pepper had shown the world that Ebony Freeman, try as she might, could not escape the mantle of misfortune that had settled over her.”
The bulk of the book takes place here with Ebby still haunted by her brother’s unsolved murder and now publicly humiliated by Henry’s abandonment at the altar. Ebby has to get away and 8 months later, has taken up her friend’s offer to stay in her cottage in a small village in France. To process. To regroup. Maybe to write.
The chapters set in the past are these writings: the jar stories. Stories about the jar’s history that is also their family history, handed down many generations. Stories that tell of perseverance, courage, bravery, love, skill, and hope.
When Henry shows up with another woman to rent the guest cottage of the property, Ebby is forced to confront the past in more ways then she anticipated. Her family tragedy, the jar, and her ruined vows all clash and Ebby has to find a way to move forward.
The Jar— Old Mo
“‘The great strength of that jar was that its true worth was underestimated. Just like the value of the enslaved man who had crafted it and signed it at a time when people in bondage were not allowed to read or write.’”
There have been many books written to explore the lives and treatment of African American slaves, but Wilkerson wanted to touch on a couple areas of labor that are not often talked about in other books: pottery and sailing. She fuses them together in the Freeman family history.
“Granny says clay runs in their family’s blood, but Ebby’s father sees it differently. Ebby’s dad likes to say it’s the sea that courses through his veins, that he inherited a yen for the water from the sailors in his family.”
Many Africans were already skilled in pottery, creating jugs, jars, and other vessels from the clay of their homeland. When they were stolen away to America, they were forced to continue using their skills on plantation factories.
There were also many ships that used slave labor or where freed men were able to find work.
As somewhat of an artist (who’s thrown a pot or two) I was interested in this pottery aspect. Not just as a physical art form preserved through time and passed down for generations but also as a literary feature. An object fashioned and molded from the earth and then put through fire.
“Raw clay was a living thing that could be reshaped and reborn, until the potters committed it to the fire.”
I can’t help but think about how we are being shaped and molded, often enduring a refining fire. God is the Potter, and we are the clay.
Psalm 66:10-12 is one of several verses in the Bible that talk about God refining us through fire: “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.”
Author Lysa Terkerst uses this pottery language in her book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way. She came to a point in life where everything felt broken but she realized that sometimes what feels like irreparable brokenness is actually preparation for something even better.
“We think the shattering in our lives could not possibly be for any good. But what if shattering is the only way to get dust back to its basic form so that something new can be made?… Dust doesn’t have to signify the end. Dust is often what must be present for the new to begin.”
Wilkerson doesn’t bring out any biblical themes in her book, but we see shadows of this idea as we see Ebby broken down, but starting fresh. We see how the fire has refined her character and made her stronger.
“Soh loves that jar more than ever. She loves to think that something that has been broken can be pieced back together.”
The last aspect of the jar that was significant were the words engraved on the bottom. They are kept a secret until the very end of the book. I was worried she was going to leave it a mystery so I’m glad she did end up revealing them.
They are most noteworthy because slaves were not allowed to read or write; to learn those skills was dangerous and could even end in death. For an enslaved potter to carve any words, let alone the ones found on Old Mo, was a deliberate act of courage and resistance. I’m not sure how Wilkerson chose the phrase she did, but it lived up to the anticipation and was worth the wait to find it out!
Overall, I really liked the significance Wilkerson made of the jar and everything connected to it. I think she could have gone even further in the symbolism, but it was an effective path to take in this book. It also definitely makes me ponder the title- Good Dirt— and how that makes a good title.
Alternative Narrative
There are certain aspects of the subtle narrative surrounding the Freeman family’s experience of ‘being black in America’ that I might have differing thoughts on. I’ll list a few quotes here as receipts:
“People saw their skin, not their history.”
“Just a month before he died, there had been yet another unjustified killing of an unarmed black man by a police officer.”
“verbal slights that Ed called microaggressions”
“We are surrounded by black scientists and doctors and lawyers and other highly skilled professionals, but still, people are surprised. They continue to be surprised at African American achievement.”
“You could not grow up to be a black man, no matter how successful, without knowing, in some quadrant of your brain, that you were more vulnerable to potential harm than other men. You had to watch your back. You had to teach your son to watch his back.”
“A young, African American man. People are always going to look for excuses to question your capacity to do things. Fair or not.”
but I don’t want to belabor the point because I don’t believe that the main spirit of this book was necessarily to paint a specific picture of present day racism and give a primary voice to that experience.
It was definitely an element of the book, but I think the more focal point was the Freemans’s ancestors being slaves and how their experiences in the 1800s filtered down to their family’s identity.
I think to spend too much time arguing about the current state of affairs, problems, or potential causes, though a worth endeavor in other cases, would take away from what I think makes this book compelling. I will refrain from being distracted by a message that I am not even confident the author is attempting to proclaim in this story.
I will only say that I have found Thomas Sowell’s book Discrimination and Disparities, Thaddeus William’s book Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth and Candace Owen’s book Blackout (among others) have been insightful in pondering thoughts surrounding racism, systemic racism, and the potential ongoing effects of slavery today.
And I will say that I wholeheartedly agree with these statements made in the book because they are perhaps the most relevant at any point in history:
“‘Most of the trouble in this world boils down to one person not recognizing the worth of another.’”
“There will always be men willing to steal the freedom of others if they think it’ll bring them an advantage.”
I hope we can spend more time recognizing the worth of others before we speak or act, online or in person. That’s the first and most effective way to combat today’s troubles. See each other as image-bearers of God, our Creator.
Other Reviewers
In looking at some of the negative reviews for this book I can summarize that a lot of them felt the book dragged on and they didn’t really care for the jar or its story. I can see how it would be long if you were not interested in that timeline at all. I do think there was some repetitive content, but I liked that element of the story and so it didn’t drag for me. I’m also not sure that a lot of them really saw the connection between the pottery process and the shaping of Ebby’s life and maybe that would have made a difference for them in appreciating that thread of the story.
Others comment on the over-hyped ‘secrets’ of the book and the overuse of miscommunication to drum up drama. I didn’t necessarily feel this while reading, but after the fact I can look back and say, they do have a bit of a point. Some of the ‘secrets’ weren’t very earth-shattering after all, and I am never a fan of characters who are unwilling to allow anyone to explain anything. I’m a person who desires answers and truth and even if I’m ticked at someone, I think I would be too curious about their explanation to shut it down in spite.
The mystery aspect was, of course, nice to have, but it’s definitely not the driving force of the plot so if you’re going into it thinking you’re ‘on the case’ I can see how you might feel misled reading this book and have a bad taste in your mouth. The mystery is there but it’s definitely a subplot.
Of course you have an array of opinions on what characters people liked and didn’t like and that’s largely personal preference and what resonates with you. I, personally, didn’t feel like there were any characters that were major make or breaks.
All the Feels
I think one of the things that might resonate with me for awhile— which may be a little random— is from Grandma Bliss:
“Hold the moment. Before Ebby had ever heard the term mindfulness, Grandma Bliss had a grasp on the concept. Be aware of a beautiful moment as it is happening. Take note of your life as you are living it.”
Life is hectic and busy and we survive and we keep moving forward and the days go by and the years go by and then our kids aren’t babies anymore, and then our kids aren’t toddlers anymore and sometimes you do just need to hold the moment.
I have done this periodically already, but I didn’t have these words for those times. I love the ‘hold the moment’ phrase and the taking note of life as you are living it in that moment. To just really sit there and take it all in and think about what was before and what is to come and why this moment is precious.
Sitting and holding those moments will solidify them more in my memories and I hope to have a lot of moments to look back on and love— the way they form their words, the way their eyes light up when talking about something they love, their chubby fingers and little adult-like gestures and mannerisms, the way their little bodies fold into mine when we snuggle, the crumbs of food that never seem to come off their mouth, the way they say ‘mama’ or want to hold me hand. Hold all those moments.
Book Club Discussion Questions
Is there something that threads through your family history or a cherished family heirloom?
Have you experienced a time in your life where something felt shattered? How have you seen something new built from that dust? How has that ‘fire’ made you stronger?
Which character do you identify with the most?
Ebby remembers the little maple tree they planted that has grown, its leaves turning orange every autumn. “Then the leaves would fall away, and the tree would seal off its branches to protect itself from the onslaught of winter.” How is Ebby like this tree?
Does it surprise you that Ebby could still be having nightmares from that fateful night in 2000? How do you view the process of healing after a significant loss?
How much influence do you think generations of family history should have on a person’s identity? What ways did this shape Ebby in a positive or negative way?
How are Avery and Ebby alike? How are they different? Do you think it was their similarities or their differences that drew Henry to Avery?
When Ebby tells Henry about her dad’s work she gives the example of the joints in a bridge and how those connections help “reduce trauma by moving back and forth under daily, monthly, and yearly pressure.” Henry likens it to trauma prevention. Ebby corrects him, “More like resilience under trauma. You can’t prevent it, but you can find ways to hold up under the pressure, to continue to function well.” In what ways did you see characters exercise resilience under trauma? What are other things they could have done? How do you define resilience? In what ways have you been resilient? (this comes from the Henry chapter after ‘Words’)
Why do you think the book is titled Good Dirt?
Ebby often changed her hair color in times of change or crises. Why do you think this was therapeutic for her? How do you identify with this aspect of Ebby’s character?
“How much of yourself do you have to renounce in order to have the life you think you want?” (from Chapter: Falling) What do you think of this sentiment Ebby voices?
Think about the five words engraved on the bottom of Old Mo. Why do you think those words would have been so inspiring to other slaves? What significance do you find for them today?
“Ed believes there is something at the core of each person that works like a compass. It should tell them who they are and where they belong.” Do you agree with Ed? Why or why not?
Do you think Ebby should have given Henry another chance?
When you read the Escalators chapter, what do you think is significant about Avery and Henry riding the escalators up and Ebby about to ride the escalator down? Where are their character arcs going?
Think about finding the closest museum that houses an object like Old Mo that you could visit and see for yourself.
Recommendation
I definitely recommend this book! Wilkerson gives readers a lot to think about and threads the themes together in such a compelling way. I can’t really think of a reason why you wouldn’t want to read this book. Even seeing what other reviewers didn’t like about the book, I’m not sure it’s enough to caution someone against reading it.
I will also recommend the book Amazing Grace that tells the story of John Newton who wrote the song Amazing Grace. It’s a hard book to read as it reveals the reality of the slave trade that Newton was once part of, but it also explains the ‘I was blind, but now I see’ line of his song. Reading about the slave trade is always hard, and I think it’s important to see the hope and the Lord at work while we are at the same time recognizing sin for what it is, setting our minds and hearts against ever being part of something so heinous.
“Where do we find hope today in the midst of deep divisions in society and violent disagreements? Where do we find hope for the human condition? Where do we find hope for all the griefs and sorrows that threaten to undo our own lives? Perhaps we need to look again at the perennial message of ‘Amazing Grace.’ Perhaps here we might find a renewed hope that however difficult the troubles in our lives, however deep our personal shame and regret, however dark the evil that stalks the earth, there is a mercy that is deeper yet, a forgiveness that makes all the difference, and a power for reconciliation greater than ourselves.”
[Content Advisory: 4 f-words, 15 s-words; some sexual content]
**Received an ARC via NetGalley**
This book just released January 28, 2025. You can order a copy of this book using my affiliate link below.
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