Deacon King Kong
2020 literary fiction novel by James McBride
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Deacon King Kong is a novel by James McBride. It notably won the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence for Fiction, Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction, and Thurber Prize for American Humor.
| |
| Author | James McBride |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Literary fiction |
| Set in | Brooklyn, 1969 |
| Publisher | Riverhead Books |
| Publication date | March 3, 2020 |
| Pages | 370 pp. (hardcover 1st ed.) |
| ISBN | 9780735216723 (hardcover 1st ed.) |
| OCLC | 1122690620 |
| Dewey Decimal | 813/.6 |
| LC Class | PS3613.C28 D43 2020 |
Narrative
The story unfolds in September 1969 Brooklyn and centers around volatile Cuffy Lambkin, nicknamed "Sportcoat". Sportcoat, a heavy drinker and church deacon, shocks his community by publicly shooting a young drug dealer, Deems Clemens, in broad daylight at the Cause Houses housing project. The incident sets off a chain of events involving the church community, local gangsters, the police, and residents of the housing complex. As secrets about Sportcoat, Deems, and others come to light, the novel explores their interconnected lives during a period of social and personal upheaval.
Release
It was published in the United States on March 3, 2020.
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Booklist Editors' Choice | Adult Audio | Won | [1] |
| Goodreads Choice Awards | Historical Fiction | Nominated–14th | [2] | |
| Kirkus Prize | Fiction | Shortlisted | [3] | |
| New York City Book Award | — | Won | ||
| 2021 | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence | Fiction | Won | [4] |
| Anisfield-Wolf Book Award | Fiction | Won | [5] | |
| Audie Award | Literary Fiction & Classics | Shortlisted | [6] | |
| Dayton Literary Peace Prize | Fiction | Shortlisted | [7] | |
| Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award | — | Shortlisted | [8] | |
| Thurber Prize for American Humor | — | Won | [9] |