Super Short Summary

Deacon King Kong by James McBride, published in 2020, is a near-historical fiction set in a Brooklyn neighborhood in 1969. It follows multiple characters, centering on Sportcoat, an elderly Black man in the Cause Houses, who shoots a young drug dealer, Deems Clemens. The plot involves community conflict, the influence of drugs, and intertwines with Italian mobster Thomas Elefante's search for a hidden artifact, ultimately leading to justice and positive change. The book addresses issues such as addiction, crime, racism, and oppression.