House (1985)

by Tracy Kidder

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
1,120	18	16,271	(3.87)	48
Home Design & Déco Nonfictio HTML: The Pulitzer Prize�??winning author brings "clarity, intelligence and grace" *to the tale of building a home in this New York Times* Bestseller (TheNew York Times Book Review).** It's 1983 and Jonathan and Judith Souweine are ready to build their forever home on a four-acre lot just outside of Amherst, Massachusetts. A lawyer and a psychologist, neither has much experience with the process. In this New York Times bestseller, Tracy Kidder leads readers through the grand adventure of building the American dream. In his portrayal, constructing a staircase or applying a coat of paint becomes a riveting tale of conflicting wills, the strength and strain of relationships, and pride in craftsmanship. With drama, sensitivity, and insight, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Soul of the New Machine takes us from blueprints to moving day. In the process, he sheds new light on objects usually taken for granted and creates a vivid cast of characters you will not soon forget. "Tracy Kidder has done it again. . . . What might seem like ordinary work takes on an extraordinary, unpredictable life of its own. The subject is fascinating, the book a remarkable piece of craftsmanship in itself." �??Chicago Tribune Book World "Kidder makes us feel with a splendid intensity the complex web of relationships and emotions that inevitably comes into play in the act of bringing a work of architecture to fruition." �??The New York Times Book Revi… (more)

all members

▾Members

Recently added by

private library, PJNeal, tweedyisland, gouldchris, cabracrazy18, TaraB, pjcamp, burldeerl, jackiethehammer, jeffsbookcatalog

▾Tags

▾LibraryThing Recommendations

▾Lists

None

▾Will you like it?

▾Conversations (About links)

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 48 mentions

▾Member reviews

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 18 (next | show all)

Tracy Kidder is a master of nonfiction writing. I’ve read most of what he has written including what I consider to be his masterpiece, “Soul of a New Machine.” “House” is as entertaining and insightful as any of Kidder’s books. It gave me a new appreciation for those who work with their hands. Over the years I’ve had many people in my houses doing various types of repairs and constructions. I’ve always respected their skill, but I don’t think I knew much about their spirit until I read “House.” I once told a plumber, “You know, Earl, what you do is amazing. What I do (teaching high school English) is nothing.” He looked at me with a quizzical look. I said, “If I don’t show up, they’ll find another person with an English degree to do what I do. If you don’t show up, people can’t flush their toilet. Now, you tell me who is more important?” He grinned and went on fixing the drain he was working on.
I have the same kind of respect for Tracy Kidder. Lots of people can write. Many of them can write well. Tracy Kidder writes the way the building crew in “House” worked: with spirit, precision, and soul. (

)

FormerEnglishTeacher | Sep 30, 2021 |

I found the relationship and personal stories much more interesting than the building details of the house. I did learn a little about architecture, carpenters, and building, but was hardly interested in the details. It felt good to learn about a topic I do not know much about. (

)

suesbooks | Aug 31, 2021 |

From the first nail to the final coat of paint, from contract signing to moving day, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder chronicles the complex and fascinating construction of an American dream.

riselibrary_CSUC | Oct 1, 2018 |

As someone who has built [is still building] a house and who is married to a carpenter, I found the book a little too flashback-triggering to be fully enjoyable. I actually started having heart palpitations during one of the homeowner/builder fights over the contract. BUT, that aside, this is truly brilliant in a classic creative nonfiction way. Kidder takes a subject that seems completely mundane and imbues is with history, drama, and human intrigue. (

)

CherieDooryard | Jan 20, 2015 |

Reading this book was fun for the most part. I'm a big time old house geek and found it very interesting to see what was going on with the building of new construction as it's out of my usual thinking or bailiwick. Some reviewers have noted that this is non-fiction, I believe in fact that it is a work of fiction although very detailed. The author gives numerous references in the epilogue of the book on how he did his research on building etc. That being said it's a wonderful character study with well thought out and rounded characters. I found myself with very strong feelings about most of the carpenters and even the homeowners in the story. Rooting for the builders even though I've been on the homeowner's side before and run into cost overruns and stuff. (

)

ChrisWeir | Jul 12, 2014 |

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 18 (next | show all)

▾Published reviews

no reviews | add a review

▾Other authors

» Add other authors (1 possible)

▾Series and work relationships

Belongs to Publisher Series

Avon (70176)

view history

▾Common Knowledge

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.

For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.

Canonical title

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

1985

People/Characters

Important places

Important events

Related movies

Awards and honors

New York Times Best Books of the Year (1985)

National Book Critics Circle Award finalist (General Nonfiction, 1985)

New York Times bestseller (Nonfiction, 1985)

ALA Notable Books for Adults (1985)

Epigraph

Dedication

For
FRANCES TOLAND KIDDER

First words

Jim Locke sets gently on the undisturbed earth a mahogany box, opens it, and takes out his transit, which looks like a spyglass.

[Epilogue] The Boston Society of Architects annually confers award for buildings that have been designed by local firms and erected outside the city and its suburbs.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

▾Book descriptions

Home Design & Déco Nonfictio HTML:

The Pulitzer Prize�??winning author brings "clarity, intelligence and grace" to the tale of building a home in this New York Times Bestseller (TheNew York Times Book Review).

It's 1983 and Jonathan and Judith Souweine are ready to build their forever home on a four-acre lot just outside of Amherst, Massachusetts. A lawyer and a psychologist, neither has much experience with the process. In this New York Times bestseller, Tracy Kidder leads readers through the grand adventure of building the American dream.

In his portrayal, constructing a staircase or applying a coat of paint becomes a riveting tale of conflicting wills, the strength and strain of relationships, and pride in craftsmanship. With drama, sensitivity, and insight, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Soul of the New Machine takes us from blueprints to moving day. In the process, he sheds new light on objects usually taken for granted and creates a vivid cast of characters you will not soon forget.

"Tracy Kidder has done it again. . . . What might seem like ordinary work takes on an extraordinary, unpredictable life of its own. The subject is fascinating, the book a remarkable piece of craftsmanship in itself." �??Chicago Tribune Book World

"Kidder makes us feel with a splendid intensity the complex web of relationships and emotions that inevitably comes into play in the act of bringing a work of architecture to fruition." �??The New York Times Book Revi