Review: The Big House by George Howe Colt

Overview:

 

Faced with the sale of the century-old family summer house on Cape Cod where he had spent forty-two summers, George Howe Colt returned for one last stay with his wife and children. This poignant tribute to the eleven-bedroom jumble of gables, bays, and dormers that watched over weddings, divorces, deaths, anniversaries, birthdays, breakdowns, and love affairs for five generations interweaves Colt's final visit with memories of a lifetime of summers.

Run-down yet romantic, The Big House stands not only as a cherished reminder of summer's ephemeral pleasures but also as a powerful symbol of a vanishing way of life.

 

________________________________________________________________

 

Review:

 

A fascinating exploration of a family's history, and the house that bound five generations. Colt presents a history not only of the family, but of the tiny island the house resides. For anyone that had a family vacation home as a child, you'll easily be reminded of those days long past. Additionally, Colt presents not only a portrait of a time long gone, but also the evolution of each generation. His reflects on "The Big House" speaking specifically to his family's history, but also captures the A fascinating exploration of a family's history, and the house that bound five generations. Colt presents a history not only of the family, but of the tiny island the house resides. For anyone that had a family vacation home as a child, you'll easily be reminded of those days long past. Additionally, Colt presents not only a portrait of a time long gone, but also the evolution of each generation. His reflects on "The Big House" speaking specifically to his family's history, but also captures the changes in American society in the last century. By the end, it is impossible to imagine this home in the hands of any other family.