The Good Lord Bird

A Novel

By: James McBride

Narrated by: Michael Boatman

Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction

Soon to be a Showtime limited series starring Ethan Hawke and Daveed Diggs.

From the best-selling author of Deacon King Kong (an Oprah Book Club pick) and The Color of Water comes the story of a young boy born a slave who joins John Brown’s antislavery crusade - and who must pass as a girl to survive. Henry Shackleford is a young slave living in the Kansas Territory in 1856 - a battleground between anti - and pro-slavery forces - when legendary abolitionist John Brown arrives. When an argument between Brown and Henry's master turns violent, Henry is forced to leave town - along with Brown, who believes Henry to be a girl and his good luck charm. Over the ensuing months, Henry, whom Brown nicknames Little Onion, conceals his true identity to stay alive. Eventually Brown sweeps him into the historic raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859 - one of the great catalysts for the Civil War. An absorbing mixture of history and imagination, and told with McBride's meticulous eye for detail and character, The Good Lord Bird is both a rousing adventure and a moving exploration of identity and survival.

©2013 James McBride (P)2013 Penguin Audiobooks

great narrating in this book

I'm an Audible fan generally, but found Michael Boatman's reading of this to be especially compelling. A fun story about a young slave who witnesses the zany John Brown in his exploits and misadventures.

'Whatever you is, Onion,' he said, 'be it full.'

"'Whatever you is, Onion,' [Brown] said, 'be it full.'"

As the 2013 National Book Award-winning novel begins, the memoirs of Henry Shackleford are found in a Delaware church. Henry was a 12-year-old slave in Kansas when he was taken by the abolitionist firebrand John Brown in 1857 under an odd combination of circumstances. Brown assumed he was a girl, mistaking the potato sack he was wearing at the time to be a dress. Shortly after Henry earned the nickname "Little Onion" after unwittingly eating part of a rancid onion. He stays with Brown's group for a while then spends a couple of years at a Missouri whorehouse, doing odd jobs and continuing to pretend he was a young girl.

Once reunited, he travels with Brown on a tour to raise funds and support for the coming "armed insurrection" of slaves in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, including a meeting in Rochester, New York with Frederick Douglass (who the author imagines is not only a polygamist civil rights leader and icon but also a sexually perverted buffoon who tries to seduce the 14-year-old Little Onion) and a memorable encounter with a serious, strong and understandably cautious Harriet Tubman across the border in Canada. Then came a remarkably imagined few days prior to the raid when the wily and obsessive Brown makes quixotic plans to take the Harpers Ferry armory to arm the area slaves, and tasks Little Onion with "hiving the bees"; followed by a reimagining of the failed raid on Harpers Ferry that became a primary spark to the beginning of the American Civil War.


"It occurred to me then that you is everything you are in this life at every moment. And that includes loving somebody. If you can't be your own self, how can you love somebody? How can you be free? That pressed on my heart like a vise right then. Just mashed me down.” [Henry "Little Onion" Shackleford]


I was drawn in by the young protagonist, who is somewhat reminiscent of Huckleberry Finn in his journey along the Mississippi River, his connection with the animated and pious Brown, his development as seen through his first person narration which is at first innocent and then cynical, and often amused by the hysterical happenings, some classically hilarious dialogue and evocations of haunting imagery.

An interesting audio!

Powerful but light-hearted approach to a difficult matter! Unique as from the eyes of a child

Well worth reading

Mr. McBride has written an historical novel about John Brown's raid on Happer's Ferry from the perspective of a pubescent boy and in his voice and vernacular. It is sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, and always hopeful.

A must listen/read

I have already recommended this book especially in the audio version to my friends. It gives such a fascinating look into a neglected portion of our past. Hearing the book read by Mr Boatman was a delight. Thank you Mr Mc Bride for giving us this wonderful narrative.

Such a good audio book.

This book, this author, this narrator added up to an abundantly satisfying and worthwhile use of time for this 86 year old. "Well done" to everyone involved.

Modern classic

This book is a modern classic. The story is involving, the characters are so vivid and memorable, and the themes are powerful and resonant. The audio version is delightful and the performance was masterful. A must!

Historical fiction at its best...

John Brown may not be the most famous historical figure, but after reading this book, I wanted to find out more about him. McBride's story weaves the basic historical facts with an humorously dramatic story which keeps you both entertained, somewhat educated and enlightened all at the same time. John Brown is a a larger than life character in history and McBride does a great job of telling his story in a unique and vibrant way. Even though you know how the book is going to end, McBride, through his main character's voice and actions offers a unique twist, which may be be historically accurate, but is wholly believable.... thoroughly enjoyable book. i will be listening to more McBride in anticipation that they are as good as this one.

What an adventure!

This book knocked my socks off. I can understand why it won the National book award. The character development, the story emersion, the plot, the humor, the history and the staunch reality of slavery and abolitionist — all of it resonated with purity and genuine saturation of culture, time period, vernacular and that is rare to find in literary fiction.

History of this famous abolitionist

The narration was awesome! It brought a whole new perspective of John Brown and explained how the whole siege at Harper’s Ferry came about, loved this book!