The Heaven & Earth Grocery StoreThe Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
What it's about
In 1972, workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, find a skeleton at the bottom of a well. The novel goes back to the 1920s and 1930s, when the town's Chicken Hill neighborhood was home to Jews, Black Americans and immigrants. When a deaf Black boy is threatened with being sent to a terrible institution, the community comes together to protect him.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's warm, funny and moving.
You'll love it if you liked
The Good Lord Bird
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Call It SleepGood to know
It deals with racism, antisemitism and abuse of disabled people.
By the numbers
- Readers20 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 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
- #103 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #247 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #370 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2126 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by James McBride
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Quick answers
Is The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store worth reading?
Yes. It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #2,126 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store about?
In 1972, workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, find a skeleton at the bottom of a well. The novel goes back to the 1920s and 1930s, when the town's Chicken Hill neighborhood was home to Jews, Black Americans and immigrants. When a deaf Black boy is threatened with being sent to a terrible institution, the community comes together to protect him.
How long does it take to read The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store?
About 10 hours (400 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store?
If you liked it, try The Good Lord Bird by James McBride, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith or Call It Sleep by Henry Roth.