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All the Way Home: Building a Family in a…
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All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House (edition 2008)

by David Giffels (Author)

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1554175,026 (4.12)1
Finding the perfect house is never easy. Rebuilding one from a crumbling pile--to say nothing of making it into a home--is even harder. With their infant son in tow, David Giffels and his wife comb the environs of Akron, Ohio, in search of just the right house for their burgeoning family. Running through David's head the whole time are the lyrics of a Replacements song, ". . . Look me in the eye, then tell me that I'm satisfied," and it gives all the more purpose to their quest. But nothing seems right . . . until they spot a beautiful, decaying Gilded Age mansion. A former rubber industry executive's domain, the once grand residence lacks functional plumbing and electricity, leaks rain like a cartoon shack, and is infested with all manner of wildlife. But for a young man at a coming-of-age crossroads--"suspended between a perpetual youth and an inevitable adulthood"--the challenge is exactly the allure. All the Way Home follows Giffels's funny, poignant, and confounding journey as he and his wife and a colorful collection of helpers turn a money pit into a house that will complete their family. Nothing could prepare them for a home restoration epic that includes evicting squatters (both four- and two-legged), battling an invading wisteria vine, hunting a ghost, and discovering thousands of dollars in hidden Depression-era cash. But the story's heart lies deeper, in an unexpected series of personal hardships that call into question what "home" really means, and what it means to grow up. Written with the humor and insight of Bill Bryson and John Grogan, All the Way Home is the engaging tale of a young father's struggle to restore a house and find his way . . . without losing himself.… (more)
Member:pagestealer
Title:All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House
Authors:David Giffels (Author)
Info:William Morrow (2008), Edition: 1, 320 pages
Collections:Your library
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All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House by David Giffels

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Showing 4 of 4
Who buys a house they describe with adjectives and nouns such as these: rusty, dusty, decay, debris, ruin, smelly, stained, treacherous, flaking, rotted, grime, filthy, cluttered, damaged, wreckage, decomposed, dark, cracked, dingy, chilly, ugly, broken, dirty, scratched, soot, dangerous, rotten, warped, collapsed, cramped, broken, discolored, disintegrated, discolored, poisonous, fermenting, or crusted? You half expect to find, buried deep in the debris, a mummified body a la Bates Motel. In fact, when Giffels first tours the house there is a woman, perched amid the disaster. But, buy the house he does.
Giffels, a self described handyman, needs projects. When he buys the 1913 mansion on North Portage Path (Akron, Ohio) there is every indication he has bit off more than he can chew. That only becomes apparent to himself when he attempts to remove paint from every single door hinge in the house. The master bedroom alone has seventeen doors with at least two hinges...you do the math. And that's just hinges. Never mind the structural damage like a leaking room that requires 55 roasting pans to catch the downpour whenever it rains, or the jungle of wisteria growing in through the cracks. Then there are the uninvited guests: mice, squirrels, raccoons, termites, carpenter ants, gawkers...it's a wonder Gina didn't divorce him.
One of a thousand quotes of humor, "more than anything else, I do not want to die a cartoon character's death" (p 5).
Quote of foreshadowing, "And I honestly couldn't decide which I wanted more; to get the house, or to get the house out of my system" (p 73). Indeed, there are numerous times he hoped to get out of buying the house. Starting with his sister-in-law's neighbor, Earl. Hoping seventy-plus-year-old realtor Earl would advise him it's a lost cause after seeing it; praying the inspector would say it's his professional opinion the house is hopeless; and wishing the owners will refuse his insultingly low ball offer. Giffels is seeking any and all opportunities to wriggle out of the fantasy; to escape the choke hold of unreasonable and borderline fanatical desire. None of "outs" happen for Giffels and All the Way Home is born. ( )
  SeriousGrace | Mar 9, 2018 |
I confess to not having read the entire book but loved the beginning, great voice a fun read for the man of the house! ( )
  lindap69 | Apr 5, 2013 |
Buying a decrepit, falling down, Addams Family style mansion and renovating sounds amazing. Of course, I would not plan on doing the renovations myself, as being handy is a superhero power, in my opinion. David Giffels plans to do it all himself, or at least most of it, while living in it, with his wife and small son. Excellently told, I only wish that there were more pictures. ( )
  bookwormteri | Aug 15, 2012 |
Loved this book!
Giffels and his wife, for some reason, decide to buy a falling down mansion. This house is not just in bad shape - there are trees going through the roof, 50+ pans catching the rain water that pours in, resident wildlife is rampant, etc.
Why someone would want to take on such a challenge - and then INSIST on doing it themselves - is beyond me.
However, Giffels describes the journey with love and good humor, and it was a pleasure to read! ( )
  coolmama | Dec 24, 2008 |
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Finding the perfect house is never easy. Rebuilding one from a crumbling pile--to say nothing of making it into a home--is even harder. With their infant son in tow, David Giffels and his wife comb the environs of Akron, Ohio, in search of just the right house for their burgeoning family. Running through David's head the whole time are the lyrics of a Replacements song, ". . . Look me in the eye, then tell me that I'm satisfied," and it gives all the more purpose to their quest. But nothing seems right . . . until they spot a beautiful, decaying Gilded Age mansion. A former rubber industry executive's domain, the once grand residence lacks functional plumbing and electricity, leaks rain like a cartoon shack, and is infested with all manner of wildlife. But for a young man at a coming-of-age crossroads--"suspended between a perpetual youth and an inevitable adulthood"--the challenge is exactly the allure. All the Way Home follows Giffels's funny, poignant, and confounding journey as he and his wife and a colorful collection of helpers turn a money pit into a house that will complete their family. Nothing could prepare them for a home restoration epic that includes evicting squatters (both four- and two-legged), battling an invading wisteria vine, hunting a ghost, and discovering thousands of dollars in hidden Depression-era cash. But the story's heart lies deeper, in an unexpected series of personal hardships that call into question what "home" really means, and what it means to grow up. Written with the humor and insight of Bill Bryson and John Grogan, All the Way Home is the engaging tale of a young father's struggle to restore a house and find his way . . . without losing himself.

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