Good Dirt

A most unusual story about a stoneware pot called Old Mo, told over the centuries by members of the family that made it and owned it, told stories about it following the family that carried it from the south to the north. Ebby Freeman is the central in the present day and it is her story that ties the book together. But all the members of her family as well as others whose stories touch hers are intertwined with her. I loved it.

Reading “Good Dirt” was an eye-opening and deeply moving experience for me. This book not only captivated me with its storytelling but also helped me make sense of a moment in my past that had long puzzled me. Many years ago, a Caucasian boss of mine asked me, *“Why do you feel like everyone is against you?”* At the time, I didn’t fully understand why she would pose such a question, and I knew she would never grasp the irony of it. Through “Good Dirt”, I was able to see, with more clarity, the weight of generational pain and systemic disenfranchisement that my ancestors endured. It helped me understand what my answer should have been. The truth is that America has reaped immeasurable benefits from the kidnapping and enslavement of my ancestors, while those same ancestors were denied the opportunity to benefit from the resources and wealth they helped create. Instead, slaveholders and their descendants accumulated generational prosperity built on the labor, ingenuity, and suffering of Black people. This book brought these truths to life in a way that was both heartbreaking and inspiring. Each character’s story resonated with me, making me reflect on history, resilience, and the strength of those who came before me. “Good Dirt” is not just a novel—it is a powerful reminder of where we come from and how our past still shapes our present. By the time I finished reading, I felt an unexpected sense of joy, not because the injustices of history had been undone, but because I had gained a deeper understanding of my own story and the legacy of my people. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore the truth of our shared history through a compelling and thought-provoking narrative.

Enchanting!! I couldn’t put this book down as I read it in one sitting from start to finish. The toils that the enslaved were exploited to and forced to endure took their agency but never their faith in themselves their loved ones or the hope that one day this tragic traumatic life that abductions had done to them would prevail to the world showing them that their worth was far greater and their spirit was full of will goodness and God. The story continues for centuries following mainly the Freeman’s and their successes but as well as the Bliss’. It is a story of heartbreaking loss and unwavering love