World Literary Awards

← Back to Home

James McBride

ジェームズ・マクブライド

James McBride

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1957-09-11 （New York City, U.S.）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Religion
Christianity (Jewish heritage on mother's side)
Residence History
New York City → Lambertville, New Jersey

Career

Occupations
Writer, Journalist, Musician
Active Years
1979-
Affiliations
New York University (Distinguished Writer-in-Residence), Rock Bottom Remainders (authors' band)
Influenced By
Harriet Tubman (historical inspiration for Song Yet Sung), Ruth McBride Jordan (his mother; subject of The Color of Water), Spike Lee (collaborator)
Nominations
International Dublin Literary Award longlist (The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store)

Education

Oberlin College
Bachelor of Arts / English / Humanities
Degree: BA
Period: 1975–1979
Year of Graduation: 1979
Country: United States
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Master of Arts / Journalism
Degree: MA (Journalism)
Period: 1979–1980
Year of Graduation: 1980
Country: United States

Awards

National Book Award (Fiction)
2013
Work: The Good Lord Bird
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: Winner
National Humanities Medal
2015
Organization: Awarded by the President of the United States
Result: Recipient
Anisfield-Wolf Book Award
Work: The Color of Water
Organization: Anisfield-Wolf Foundation
Result: Winner
Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction
2021
Work: Deacon King Kong
Organization: Carnegie Corporation / American libraries
Result: Winner
Kirkus Prize (Fiction)
2023
Work: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
Organization: Kirkus Reviews
Result: Winner
Jewish Fiction Award
2024
Work: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
Organization: Jewish Fiction Award (organizers)
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother

1995 Memoir / Non-fiction

A memoir recounting his upbringing, family history, and his mother Ruth's life, exploring race and religion.

FamilyRaceReligionIdentity

Miracle at St. Anna

2002 Historical novel

A novel inspired by the experiences of African-American soldiers in Italy during World War II.

WarRaceMemory
Adaptations
  • [Film] Miracle at St. Anna / Spike Lee (2008)

Song Yet Sung

2008 Historical fiction

Set in Maryland during slavery, it follows a woman with prophetic dreams and intertwining lives of enslaved and free people; inspired in part by Harriet Tubman.

SlaveryFreedomProphetic dreamsCommunity

The Good Lord Bird

2013 Historical fiction

A fictional account centered on John Brown, depicting aspects of the abolitionist movement with humor and pathos.

SlaveryActivismHistory
Adaptations
  • [TV (miniseries)] The Good Lord Bird (miniseries) (2020)

Deacon King Kong

2020 Novel / Fiction

Set in 1970s Brooklyn, the novel follows how a church deacon's act triggers intersecting lives in the neighborhood.

CommunityForgivenessHuman relationships

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

2023 Historical fiction

Set in 1920s–30s Pottstown, Pennsylvania, the novel interweaves lives of African American, Jewish, immigrant, and white residents.

CommunityImmigrationInterfaith relations

Bibliography

  • The Color of Water (1995)
  • Miracle at St. Anna (2002)
  • Song Yet Sung (2008)
  • The Good Lord Bird (2013)
  • Kill 'Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul (2016)
  • Five-Carat Soul (2017)
  • Deacon King Kong (2020)
  • The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (2023)

Adaptations

  • Miracle at St. Anna (film, 2008)
  • The Good Lord Bird (miniseries, 2020)
  • Red Hook Summer (co-writer/producer, 2012)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Mixes memoir voice with historical fiction narrativeBlends humor and empathy in storytelling
Recurring Motifs
Family and lineageReligion and faithMusicRace and identity

Legacy

James McBride has explored complexities of race, religion, and family through memoirs and historical fiction, earning major awards and influence in contemporary American literature. His works are widely read in education and have received public recognition through adaptations and prizes.

In Popular Culture

  • Selected for Oprah's Book Club (e.g., Deacon King Kong)
  • Adaptations of multiple works into film and miniseries

Quotes

  • I'm proud of my Jewish history....Technically I guess you could say I'm Jewish since my mother was Jewish...but she converted (to Christianity). So the question is for theologians to answer. ... I just get up in the morning happy to be living.
    Source: Interview / quoted in media (e.g., The New York Times) (1997)

Trivia

  • He is a musician who plays tenor saxophone and has been a member of the Rock Bottom Remainders.
  • Has written songs for artists such as Anita Baker and Grover Washington Jr.
  • He has three children.