Free Audiobook : The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride

In 1972, the construction workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, stumbled upon an unexpected discovery while excavating for a new development: a skeleton resting at the bottom of a well. The identity of the skeleton and the circumstances leading to its placement there had long been concealed within the confines of Chicken Hill, a rundown neighborhood where African Americans and immigrant Jews coexisted, sharing aspirations and challenges alike. Chicken Hill was the home of Moshe and Chona Ludlow, where Moshe integrated his theater and Chona operated the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. Amidst this backdrop, Chona and Nate Timblin, the Black custodian at Moshe’s theater and the informal leader of the Black community on Chicken Hill, united their efforts to protect a deaf boy from being institutionalized by the state.

As the narratives of these characters interweave and deepen, the extent of the hardships faced by those dwelling on the fringes of white, Christian America becomes evident, shedding light on the lengths they must go to in order to endure. The revelation of the truth surrounding the events on Chicken Hill, along with the involvement of the town's white establishment, illuminates that even in challenging times, it is the bonds of love and community—resembling heaven and earth—that provide the sustenance we need to persevere.