Good Dirt

The story is told from multiple points of view across multiple timelines. Did you enjoy how the narrative was structured? What did it add to the story? Whose point of view did you most enjoy reading? Whose could you have done without? What was the impact of the historical sections?

"Good Dirt" blends multiple genres - mystery, love story, generational family saga, historical fiction. Do you think the author did a good job covering all this territory?

The Freemans are wealthy, but Black, and live in a predominantly white neighborhood. Henry is of an entirely different social sphere. Discuss the roles of class and race in the narrative.

How do the different characters deal with grief and trauma? Reflect on this quote from the novel: “Perhaps the only way to cope with loss or guilt is to name it and defy its potential to destroy you.” Does this ring true for you?

How much does our history, and what has happened to us, define our future and who we are? How do different characters in the novel grapple with this tension? In particular, how does Baz's death and her role in it haunt Ebby as an adult?

After her wedding is called off, Ebby flees to France. France has long been a beacon for Black Americans, including James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, Josephine Baker and more. What do you think Ebby has woping to find in France, and how might it relate to why previous generations expatriated?

Talk about the legacy of the Freemans' jar, which plays such an important role in the story. What does inheritance mean in the context of slavery and the history of Black Americans? What is the emotional impact of the jar landing in a museum?

Wilkerson throws some twists into this story. Did you see any of them coming? Which caught you most off guard?

What do you think will happen to the characters after the novel ends? Whose future story would you most want to follow?