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The Hundred-Year House
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
The acclaimed author of The Borrower returns with a dazzlingly original, mordantly witty novel about the secrets of an old-money family and their turn-of-the-century estate, Laurelfield. Rebecca Makkai is a writer to watch, as sneakily ambitious as she is unpretentious." Richard Russo Meet the Devohrs: Zee, a Marxist literary scholar who detests her parents wealth but nevertheless finds herself living in their carriage house; Gracie, her mother, who claims she can tell your lot in life by looking at your teeth; and Bruce, her step-father, stockpiling supplies for the Y2K apocalypse and perpetually late for his tee time. Then theres Violet Devohr, Zees great-grandmother, who they say took her own life somewhere in the vast house, and whose massive oil portrait still hangs in the dining room. Violets portrait was known to terrify the artists who resided at the house from the 1920s to the 1950s, when it served as the Laurelfield Arts Colonyand this is exactly the period Zees husband, Doug, is interested in. An out-of-work academic whose only hope of a future position is securing a book deal, Doug is stalled on his biography of the poet Edwin Parfitt, once in residence at the colony. All he needs to get the book back on trackbesides some motivation and self-esteemis access to the colony records, rotting away in the attic for decades. But when Doug begins to poke around where he shouldnt, he finds Gracie guards the files with a strange ferocity, raising questions about what she might be hiding. The secrets of the hundred-year house would turn everything Doug and Zee think they know about her family on its headthat is, if they were to ever uncover them. In this brilliantly conceived, ambitious, and deeply rewarding novel, Rebecca Makkai unfolds a generational saga in reverse, leading the reader back in time on a literary scavenger hunt as we seek to uncover the truth about these strange people and this mysterious house. With intelligence and humor, a daring narrative approach, and a lovingly satirical voice, Rebecca Makkai has crafted an unforgettable novel about family, fate and the incredible surprises life can offer. For readers of Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle From the Hardcover edition.
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ValerieAndBooks
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Current poolside novel!

(Still reading Lisey‘s Story but I don‘t like bringing hardbacks down to the pool)

ValerieAndBooks Just couldn‘t get into this — I was expecting a fast paced ghost story. Will set aside and try it again another time. 3y
61 likes1 comment
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ValerieAndBooks
Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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What do you do to celebrate after getting your first covid shot? Go to the used bookstore, of course (easy to do when it‘s just a mile from the vaccination site)!

Lovesbooks87 I had the same idea. But I went to B&N a couple days after my second dose to celebrate! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 4y
Ncostell That‘s a great way to celebrate! 4y
marleed Congrats! 4y
See All 14 Comments
Tamra Perfect! 4y
ValerieAndBooks @Lovesbooks87 It is a great way to celebrate, isn‘t it?! I may just do it again after my second shot ☺️. Glad you have both doses now. 4y
ValerieAndBooks @Ncostell any excuse to get books is a good one, but this tops them all 😊 4y
ValerieAndBooks @marleed thanks! I was shocked to find there was an opening the very next day at that shot location! My state hasn‘t even opened it all up to all adults yet but say they‘ll be able to soon. 4y
ValerieAndBooks @Tamra especially when I realized the vaccination site was so close to the used bookstore...my car practically drove itself 😆 4y
Tamra @ValerieAndBooks well of course it did. Autopilot! 4y
Lynnsoprano Great news! American Food looks really intriguing, too. 4y
ValerieAndBooks @Tamra📚 ⬅️ 🚙 😊 4y
ValerieAndBooks @Lynnsoprano I am already peeking at American Food. First third is food history and the rest are recipes in collaboration with his wife Judith Jones. I think I‘m going to really like this already! 4y
Lynnsoprano We just finished one of the Great Courses lecture series, Cooking Through the Ages. It was fascinating; the lecturer focused each lecture on an historic cookbook. Food history is so interesting. 4y
Suet624 Congrats on getting your vaccine. 4y
68 likes14 comments
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Lcsmcat
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

In four sections, going backwards in time, and each shorter than the last. Some mysteries are cleared up and others left for the reader to make connections. If you want things tied up in nice neat bows, this isn‘t for you. But if a bit of atmosphere, with a house as a character appeal to you, give this a try. #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
Chelsea.Poole Great review! I've always wondered about this one. 4y
57 likes2 comments
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Lcsmcat
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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There aren‘t any kittens in my #doublespin book, but they were too cute not to include. I got this a few years ago at a book festival, so it‘s signed. And so far I‘m enjoying it.

Books4Ever So cute 😍 4y
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Well-ReadNeck
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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98 likes2 stack adds
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LeslieO
Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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BOTM + Book Outlet = Great book mail day! #bookhaul #bookmailisthebestmail

CouronneDhiver The Visitors was a great book! 👍🏽 6y
43 likes3 comments
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DarcysMom
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Mehso-so
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DarcysMom
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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This description of a man looking for love cracked me up. 😂😂😂

julesG Perfect! 6y
60 likes1 comment
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DarcysMom
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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DarcysMom
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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tammysue 👏🏻🙌🏻 😊 6y
67 likes2 comments
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DarcysMom
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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66 likes1 stack add
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DarcysMom
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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JennyM How are you enjoying it? Asking for my TBR 😊 6y
DarcysMom @JennyM It is okayish so far, I am hopeful it will pick up soon. The characters aren't terribly sympathetic, so a little more action might help. 6y
53 likes2 comments
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CotziasReads
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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And that how the world ends up with a Hitler and a Trump in charge.

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JoyBlue
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Panpan

So much wasted potential! The idea was fine; but it seems like the author just tossed the connections between time periods together. She spent too much time on some parts, and not nearly enough on others. What a disappointment!

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BookshelfAl
Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

Finally finished my first book of the @DeweysReadathon #reversereadathon (I had to get some sleep then did an audiobook while I worked, so only just now finished this book!) I enjoyed it. It hits my bookish high notes: multi-generational, art/literary-adjacent mystery...

#readathon

13 likes1 stack add
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BookshelfAl
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Making progress in the #reversereadathon with my favorite bookmark for company. My 6-year-old made it for me. It's my cat, Lola. #readathon #catsoflitsy

JaclynW Best kind of bookmark! 6y
blog_gal Love the bookmark! 6y
Texreader Oh how cute!! Where can I buy mine? 😉 6y
Mdargusch So cute! 6y
Ddzmini Awe 😍 6y
14 likes5 comments
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BookshelfAl
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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I'm starting in the central time zone (so that my kids are in bed) so I still have an hour before I start the #ReverseReadathon. Here's my "to pick from" pile. I've already started a couple and the others will be nice grazing.

Now off to get those kids in bed so I can start!!
#readathon
@DeweysReadathon

Reviewsbylola I loved Goodbye Vitamin! 6y
BookshelfAl It's been on my TBR FOREVER! Maybe this weekend? 6y
14 likes2 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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My favorites from June!!!!

britt_brooke 😍 6y
Eggs Pretty! 6y
artkavanagh Thanks. I was just trying to remember Marina Keegan‘s name earlier. I‘m grateful for the reminder. 6y
125 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Oooh!! This book was so much fun. I‘ve been trying to read down Mount TBR before buying or checking out newer books. I‘ve been hearing great things about this author‘s latest, The Great Believers, and decided to read this one from her backlist. Loved it!!!! 💕

124 likes8 stack adds
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BekahB
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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R - Ready Player One (Cline)
E - Everything‘s Eventual (King)
B - Bird Box (Malerman)
E - Everything Is Teeth (Wyld)
K - Killer Instinct (Green)
A - Age of Miracles, The (Thompson)
H - Hundred-Year House, The (Makkai)

I found out that there are a lot of books I love that start with H - I had a hard time choosing one. This was a fun post!

#booknames

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cathysaid
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

A sprawling tale of ghosts, family secrets, and the lives of the inhabitants of this old house. Generations flow through its doors, and the intersection of the many characters leads to heart-break, mystery, and intrigue. Quite an entertaining read. Listened on Audio and was completely sucked in from the beginning. Recommended.

LeslieO Oh I loved The Borrower. Have to check this one out. 8y
cathysaid I haven't read that one. Just discovered this author a few days ago. I'll have to read The Borrower. 8y
27 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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cathysaid
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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#Audiobook while I clean bathrooms...cause I know how to party! 🚽🛁.

BTW This book is much better than I expected.

#LitsyPartyOfOne

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tpixie
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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#tbt time flies

Bookzombie I didn't know there were that many books in the Virals series. I read the first one a while back. 8y
tpixie @Bookzombie yes, and there may be another one by now. I'd like them better if I were younger but I'm so compulsive I feel compelled to continue to read them. I do love her Temperance Brennon books though! I admire that Reichs actually is a forensic anthropologist that works in both Canada and the USA. 8y
PenguinInFlight I haven't read her Virals series but I LOVE the Temperance Brennan series. I've read them all to date...I'm thinking this winter I want to reread them. 8y
tpixie @PenguinInFlight yes Tempe is great!! 8y
34 likes4 comments
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AbbyVegas
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

This book was beautiful and incredible. I devoured it. Reminded me of John Irving a bit.

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rachellayown
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Here's my first #signedsunday post. Rebecca Makkai's fabulous second novel.

tpixie Fun book. I wanted to read it again- backwards!! 8y
LeahBergen Lovely!! ❤️ 8y
rachellayown @tpixie Yes, I wanted to reread it right away after finishing. It's a good one! 8y
53 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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Eliza-beta
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Panpan

Not my thing.. it came highly recommended but I did not enjoy

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msbookleaf
Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Mehso-so

I found it neither gleeful nor darkly funny, as promised by the People review. It was a nice read, but tinged throughout with melancholy. Makkai teases out secrets from the past a little at a time, in chapters that begin at the chronological end of the 100 years, and work their way back in time. Themes of unhappy marriages, homosexuality, the value of art and artists, recur throughout.

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msbookleaf
Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
Mehso-so

I found it neither gleeful nor darkly funny, as promised by the People review. It was a nice read, but tinged throughout with melancholy. Makkai teases out secrets from the past a little at a time, in chapters that begin at the chronological end of the 100 years, and work their way back in time. Themes of unhappy marriages, homosexuality, the value of art and artists, recur throughout.

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BekahB
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Pickpick

My #WCW pick is Rebecca Makkai. I loved The Hundred-Year House. Her writing feels seamless and there's always just a touch of the weird in her stories.

she_barks I loved this one. 8y
McFarchie Such a fantastic book. 8y
48 likes7 stack adds3 comments
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VolunteerVal
The Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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"That's all you need, isn't it? That's all it takes to run the world. Knowing people's fears."

dixi_e That's a brilliant quote. 9y
2 likes1 stack add1 comment
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msbookleaf
Hundred-Year House | Rebecca Makkai
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Next on my list!

"A gleeful tale of ghosts, vengeance and family secrets…The darkly funny Makkai seeds the narrative with so many mysteries and surprises…that those 100 years race by.”
—People, “The Best New Books”

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