James McBride, the literary giant and author of books like The Color of Water and Deacon King Kong, was awarded this year's Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. In a conversation with NPR's Michel Martin at the National Book Festival, he said that leaving a career in journalism allowed him to find creative fulfillment in fiction. In today's episode, McBride discusses growing up in a community that relied on laughter, keeping a notebook on him at all times, and the inspiration behind his most recent novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy