Welcome to Litsy!

Today I installed atmospheric lighting while I listened to a goodly chunk of DEACON KING KONG. It‘s way more entertaining than I expected from a book where the inciting incident is a (non-fatal) shooting. I‘m absolutely delighted with and invested in this community and its inhabitants.

The lights hang off of my bookshelves and my desk, and they can turn fourteen different colours. I‘m delighted with them, too. #audiodecorating

Gritty, humorous, engaging story of an alcoholic black man in the inner city who communes with his dead wife and is involved with those around him. Good reflection on racial issues too.

4/5
Excellent book, well-written as usual for a novel by James McBride.
A lot of humor to balance a gloom reality.
I know that having so many characters tend to scare or confuse some readers, but personally I love it, as it is more realistic.
The end, however, was disappointing... Too well wrapped up for my liking.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A novel with many layers & such strong characters. A lot of names/nicknames to follow, but the development of even the more minor folks has them coming to life. I loved seeing all the storylines weave together in their own time. #roll100 for February

This was my first James McBride but it certainly won‘t be my last. I am so glad our FOTL group had this selection for our January read. This was a great snapshot into a different place, time, and culture from my own with just a wee touch of magical realism. Fantastic book!

One of the books I got for Christmas. It‘s 1969 in the Causeway Housing Project in south Brooklyn. Heroin is just starting to gain a foothold before it spreads to the wealthy areas of New York. Sportcoat, deacon at Five Ends Baptist Church and a perpetual drunk, shoots the local drug dealer at point blank range in front of a crowd of witnesses. His actions set off a ripple effect that reaches into the past & fundamentally changes the present. 5🌟

When you just want to eat animal crackers in bed and read a good book, thank you TBR pile 📚for never letting me down. #Shooshoostupidflu #NeverendingTBRPile #BookanAdventure #LitsyLove #Booklove

Thanks @CBee for your recent rave review that put this book front of mind —I was able to snag it at a local library book sale for only $3! Score! ☝🏼💃🏻🕺

How can I even begin to describe this beauty of a book? So many wonderfully drawn characters, an underlying sadness throughout but ultimately so hopeful, so many laugh out loud moments. My favorite read this month by far. Counting as #TBRtarot for August as well 😊

Last minute #readingbracket2023 change - I just finished DKK and it is definitely my August favorite. It even edged out Clover which I LOVED. Just wow.

Brilliant novel with rich character voice. The plot unravels and knits together at the same time. Slow start for me, I kept zoning out. But that's due to an unfamiliar genre than actual issues with the pacing. By the end I was absolutely hooked. Firmly grounded in the setting - a Brooklyn housing project in 1969. In that place, the author brought to life a whole crowd of characters - the good, the bad, and how nobody is entirely one or the other.

That DKK is set in the 1960s isn't the only source of its nostalgia. Its style is also more like an older novel: colorful characters, dialogue with rhythm, and a plot that involves criminals dueling over territory, cops just trying to keep up, hidden treasure, and even some romance. But none of that concerns the novel's title character, who prefers to be called Sportcoat even though his alcoholic nickname dominates his image in the neighborhood 👇

Took the book worms skiing. Probably not going to get too far in this tonight.

I love those rare times when a book makes me feel like I‘ve been dropped into its pages. This telling of 1969 South Brooklyn is storytelling at its finest. I felt I was one with the long-time inhabitants of the Causeway Housing Project and members of the FiveEnds Baptist Church casually working to do my part to keep the beloved Sportcoat out of harms way.

I heard of this book when it first came out and it‘s not a typical read for me. However, I‘m glad I picked it up.

Set in 1969, the Deacon shoots a drug dealer point blank. It goes into the history and relationships of everyone in the community and how they‘re all connected.

I picked this up for #pop22 - Anisfield-Wolf award winner

Only 1 prompt left! (I didn‘t do the advanced)

I won‘t be finishing anything else today, so here‘s my August Wrap Up.

My favorites were Deacon King Kong, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, and His Majesty‘s Dragon.

What a great book! I had a feeling it was going to be fun when I started meeting the characters. There are a ton, and most of them have fun names: Sportcoat, Hot Sausage, The Elephant, Sister Gee Golly, Bum-Bum, Sister Bibb, Sweet Corn, Pudgy Fingers, Jet, and more. And the first chapter is called Jesus‘s Cheese.

There‘s a comedy of errors feel to a lot of the book, but it also really digs into 1969 life in the cause-houses. Loved it!

What an incredible way to start 2022 @staci.reads ! Both of these books have been on my TBR and now I have the perfect push to prioritize them! And I love coffee and toffee and the apple jam sounds amazing. The socks seem so cozy and since we supposed to get down to 14° in Arkansas tonight they're going to come in very handy. Thank you so so much! And thank you @candority for organizing this wonderful #Bestof2021 swap 😄

#12Booksof2021 A standout from January. Such a good audiobook. Listened while on some long, snowy walks.

#top21of21 part 1
Not pictured: Deacon King Kong-J. McBride

I have had this on my TBR since It was included on Obama‘s list of best books 2020. Since then I have heard nothing but good things about this!

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView lovely prompts!
1.So many!Shakespeare and Co,John Sandoe Books,Politics and Prose,Citylights,Book Book in Greenwich Village!My dad's been to all of these so I have books from there,but would love to visit in person!
2.i have a huge list I keep adding to,as you can see from the photo!Even if I don't find these I always find something I want though.

October reads were pretty darn good!

This book wasn‘t really about one thing. It was about the times, the place, and the people in this particular neighborhood of Brooklyn in the late 60‘s and how one event ties them all together. It‘s about neighbors, family, friendships, camaraderie and cheese?! Cultures and people make this story. This was a lovely read with fascinating characters. The audio was great but I may pick up a physical copy to reread at some point.

So much good reading in September—31 books and lots of comics (which I‘ve stopped counting because there are just so many). It was hard to pick my favorites but if I had to, it would probably be these. Looking forward to diving into some spooky reads this month! 🖤🎃📖🧙‍♀️👻🖤

I started this book two other times. Finally, it was the right time and I loved this crazy story. This one went on a road trip with me and my son returning to college. We both loved it. The characters, neighborhood and setting were so incredible. I recommend the book and the audio-or a little bit of both!

Little nature audio walk with the pooch this afternoon. ❤️

#TBRPile 📚 “Deacon Cuffy Lambkin of Five Ends Baptist Church became a dead man walking on a cloudy September afternoon in 1969.”

What a fun, interesting read! The humor and connections entwined throughout the weaving character storylines made this even more of an enjoyable experience. Life is hard in the Cause, and Sportcoat doesn‘t realize how much of a mess he is truly in, but friendship, faith, and redemption, despite the difficulties of life, make these characters and the story a worthy read.

Loved, loved, loved this book & loved spending time with these characters. McBride‘s story about life in the projects in 1969 South Brooklyn is a delightful & effervescent romp through the ridiculous, mundane, sublime, otherworldly, dangerous, hopeful, & implausible ups and downs of daily life. It‘s a story about love, a desire to belong, & to be happy. You‘ll find yourself rooting for everyone to get their happy ending. I know I was. Recommended.

This month‘s #bookclub pick reminded me of The Wire…except with more heart and humor, thanks to a cast of deeply flawed but mostly still likable (or at least sympathetic) characters. Sportcoat is a mess, and life for everybody in the Cause is hard, but the love and friendship, the faith and cheese, they share throughout the story helps make it a tale as much about redemption as anything else.

This was absolutely fantastic - perfect book club read.

Reading this one for book club. It‘s the first McBride book I‘ve read but I can already tell, one chapter in, that it won‘t be the last. Love the writing.

There was so much to love about this book! It had me laughing in some places and brought tears to my eyes in others.These characters were so believable and I loved the ending.
🧡💚🧡💚
Great pick @staci.reads sending this your way Monday @LiteraryinLawrence
#lmpbc #catsoflitsy

I‘m sure someday I‘ll be able to walk into a bookstore and not walk out with a book but today was not that day…I DID limit myself to one! ☺️

29 Jun-18 Jul 2021
I understand why this was on so many recommended lists last year. McBride creates a group of engaging characters living in the Brooklyn Housing estates at the end of the 60s at a time of transition - it deals with drugs, organised crime and substance abuse but is saved from being bleak by its humour and focus on conmunity. I look forward to reading his earlier novels.

I loved this book. I adored the characters and their relationships. The story was woven together so well as their lives and pasts connected. McBride's writing is lovely. I am interested in reading more of his work if anyone has suggestions. #LMPBC #GroupV, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this one. It'll be headed your way next week, Heather! @Mynameisacolour @LiteraryinLititz @Hestapleton

Starting a much-needed 10-day vacation from work 😌 This is my whole plan for day 1 😊

Book 73

Deacon King Kong is a book that reminds you how good writing can be. The characters and story are rich and meaty. Set in Brooklyn, it's a story about a community--a story of immigration, poverty, and substance abuse. It's not an easy read, but it's hopeful. 4.5 stars

Hello #GroupV! Here are the books I'm considering for this round of #LMPBC. Let me know if you've already read any and what looks most interesting to you. Looking forward to this round! @Hestapleton @LiteraryinLititz @Mynameisacolour

Shouting out another thanks to @DebinHawaii for this excellent gift back in February for #blitsyswap. McBride crafts a wonderfully entertaining story and the characters! Everyone gets such humane treatment no matter their faults. Glad to see there are other books by the author for me to read.

As you can see my dog also enjoyed this book for different reasons. Been a long time since he pilfered a book to chew on!

#dogsoflitsy

Deacon Cuffy Lambkin of Five Ends Baptist Church became a walking dead man on a cloudy September afternoon in 1969.

#FirstLineFridays, @ShyBookOwl

So far enjoying all of the characters in this Brooklyn neighborhood. I can feel that all the pieces are being placed for something big.

Wow, what an immersive novel! The setting and these characters jumped right off the page. I listened to the audiobook and did have trouble following who-was-who for a bit in the first half. As many reviews mention, a clear focus emerges as events and people begin coming together, which was what I enjoyed most. Ol‘ Sportcoat and the Elephant Man are just 2 of the interesting souls you‘ll meet during this journey! I highly recommend the #audiobook.

Written in a language I‘m not used to, but once I got in it I LOVED it. Also the Italian and Irish characters act as a way for certain phrases or expressions to be translated. Good view into inter generational trauma and grief. But funny and filled with love

Good Old Sportcoat! Curious to see where he‘s taking me.

This was the most delightfully entertaining storytelling about a community within the blocks surrounding a housing project in Brooklyn in 1960s. There are the church ladies from 5 Ends Baptist Church, an Irish cop, an Italian mob family, a baseball playing drug dealer, and old drunkard, Sportcoat, who spends his days doing odd jobs and talking to his dead wife Hattie. It‘s amusing and heartwarming and I just loved it.