 | |
| 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 |
| 813/.6 | |
| LC Class | PS3613.C28 D43 2020 |
Deacon King Kong is a novel byJames McBride. It notably won theAndrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence for Fiction,Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction, andThurber Prize for American Humor.
The story unfolds in September 1969Brooklyn and centers around volatile Cuffy Lambkin, nicknamed "Sportcoat". Sportcoat, a heavy drinker and churchdeacon, shocks his community by publicly shooting a youngdrug dealer, Deems Clemens, in broad daylight at the Cause Houseshousing 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.
It was published in the United States on March 3, 2020.
| 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] |
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
