Deacon King Kong

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism and addiction.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Are you familiar with McBride’s memoir The Color of Water (1995) about growing up in a multiracial family in Brooklyn? If so, how do the author’s own life experiences align with some of the narratives and issues in Deacon King Kong?

2. In 2023, McBride published The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, another historical fiction novel about the importance of community. Compare and contrast how the two novels handle the themes of community and solidarity, examine real-world issues like discrimination and violence, and offer a hopeful message despite these problems.

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. One of the most important relationships in the novel is the bond between Sportcoat and his mentee, Deems. Have you ever mentored someone else? What did you seek to teach your mentee, and did you learn anything about yourself in the process?

2. The novel focuses on the Brooklyn neighborhood around the Cause Houses and examines the theme of community resilience.