The Good Lord BirdThe Good Lord Bird
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1856, in the Kansas Territory, Henry Shackleford is an enslaved boy of ten when the abolitionist John Brown bursts into a tavern, starts a fight and carries Henry off, freeing him and believing he's a girl. Henry goes along with it, dressed as a girl called Little Onion, and travels with Brown's ragtag army from Kansas to the raid on Harpers Ferry.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Award. It's hilarious and moving, a wild comic take on a serious part of American history.
You'll love it if you liked
James
The Underground Railroad
Lonesome DoveGood to know
John Brown is shown as both a hero and a lunatic. There's violence and period racist language. It became a TV series with Ethan Hawke.
By the numbers
- Readers34 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller31 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #750 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1410 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving
More by James McBride
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All the Light We Cannot See
Americanah
A Gentleman in Moscow
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A Fine BalanceExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Good Lord Bird worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Award. It ranks #1,410 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Good Lord Bird about?
In 1856, in the Kansas Territory, Henry Shackleford is an enslaved boy of ten when the abolitionist John Brown bursts into a tavern, starts a fight and carries Henry off, freeing him and believing he's a girl. Henry goes along with it, dressed as a girl called Little Onion, and travels with Brown's ragtag army from Kansas to the raid on Harpers Ferry.
How long does it take to read The Good Lord Bird?
About 11 hours (434 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Good Lord Bird won?
National Book Award (Fiction) winner (2013).
What should I read after The Good Lord Bird?
If you liked it, try James by Percival Everett, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead or Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.