the dutch house – Cannonball Read 17

A wonderful exploration of a dysfunctional family spanning 50 years

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

January 15, 2024 by ingres77 Leave a Comment

Set in Philadelphia over the course of about 50 years, The Dutch House tracks the lives of Cyril and Elna Conroy, their children Maeve and Danny, and Danny’s children May and Kevin. Cyril left the military after WWII and through a little bit of luck and a whole lot of having the right knowledge and the right time, ends up turning a couple investments into a vast real estate empire that nets him enough money to afford a beautiful mansion in Philadelphia. He buys the […]

“And so I made the decision to change. It might seem like change was impossible, given my nature and my age, but I understood exactly what there was to lose. It was chemistry all over again. The point wasn’t whether or not I liked it. The point was it had to be done.”

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

October 25, 2021 by cheerbrarian Leave a Comment

In one word: Bummer Cannonball Read Bingo: People I haven’t read any Ann Patchett previously; I could have sworn that I read Bel Canto but Goodreads shows it is in my “to read,” and I consider it a better history-keeper than my memory. I’m a big sucker for a book with accolades, so the “Pultizer finalist” sticker on the cover had my heart. I picked it up as it was the monthly selection of my library book club. In my estimation, this is both a […]

Once upon a time there was a house…

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

November 17, 2020 by ElCicco Leave a Comment

The Dutch House is a novel that has a fairy tale vibe to it. The house is, of course, central to the story and it’s kind of like a castle — it has a history of its own and a presence in the community. The Dutch House is a sign of wealth and a connection to the main characters’ past. Author Ann Patchett also gives the reader an evil stepmother, a missing queen, and a father/king who seems caught up in his material wealth while […]

The stunning success of the house could be attributed to the architect…

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

October 4, 2019 by vel veeter Leave a Comment

This is the new Ann Patchett novel, and I have a variety different thoughts about it. For one, I think it’s good. Two, the audiobook is read by Tom Hanks, and while he doesn’t bring any expressly different kind of dimension to the novel, he’s obviously a comforting presence as a reader. Three, this novel is an interesting experiment in which a contemporary novel I am familiar with (Boomers writing about their post-war childhoods dealing with distant parents, divorce, Vietnam, and other aspects of a […]

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