UrbanizeAtlNewsBot

UrbanizeAtlNewsBot

Atlanta gentrification tale wins Hollywood, New York book festivals Josh Green Tue, 08/19/2025 - 01:52

A novel that spotlights and spoofs big-city development trends, real estate woes, and neighborhood friction in uniquely comedic ways has scored top awards at long-running book festivals on both coasts in recent weeks.

Goodbye, Sweetberry Park*,*by Urbanize Atlanta editor and author Josh Green, has won the grand prize at the 2025 Hollywood Book Festival, organizers announced Thursday.

The international festival, now in its 19th year, aims to honor “books that deserve greater recognition from the film, television, game, and multimedia communities.”

A panel of industry-expert judges called Goodbye, Sweetberry Park “a rich novel that combines the best of satire and action, making it well worthy of its honors.” An awards gala recognizing winners will be held in Hollywood in coming months.

Earlier in August, the dark comedy also won the most competitive category (general fiction) at the 2025 New York Book Festival, established in 1999.

The Sager Group; cover design, Siori Kitajima

Inspired by years of local reporting for Curbed Atlanta and Urbanize, the novel tells the story of veteran journalist Archie “God” Johnson, who inherits and rebuilds a Victorian house in a historic, fictional Black neighborhood called Sweetberry Park. Acceptance follows, but soon, conflict arises with deceptive Atlanta developers looking to gentrify the neighborhood. Compounding matters, deadly snakes are set free from a nearby zoo, triggering chaos in the city. With the help of a reclusive former blues songstress and a zany cast of old friends and millennial newcomers, Johnson attempts to save the neighborhood that saved him—with often hilarious results.

Also this month, Atlanta magazine has shortlisted Goodbye, Sweetberry Park as one of “Six Hot Books for Summer Reading,” alongside Stacey Abrams and other authors.

Some other recent, critical takes:

**“A big-hearted consideration of gentrification and the erosion of time." —**Kirkus Reviews

“The wildest gentrification story ever told.” —Booktasters

“This quirky, darkly humorous tale… is a dizzying belly laugh and a gut punch, rolled into one.” —Atlantamagazine

**“Wickedly funny.” —**Gwinnett Daily Post

**“There’s no shortage of drama in this fast-paced, comic thriller full of snappy dialogue and big, colorful characters." —**Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Where to buy: Goodbye, Sweetberry Park is available in ebook and paperback via Amazon and all other online outlets. (To support local bookshops, consider Bookshop.org).

Now what? The next (free and boozy) public book event is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 14 at Milltown Arms Tavern in Cabbagetown. Expect prizes and a special surprise. Details soon.