Editor’s Note: Upon reviewing each book, I will be rating them in my personal opinion from 1 to 5 stars. While I am not a professional critic who’s final word makes or break the book, I do value the quality of writing regardless of whether I enjoy the book or not.

It is winter when George Howe Colt introduces us to the Big House, aptly named for it’s unusual size in comparison to the average Cape Cod summer homes. George is guiding us through the house as if we were trespassing against the forbidden rules of the off-season when summer homes are regulated to vacancy. Doors are locked, cupboards are bare, and traces of summertime lingers among the dust.

Perched on a knob facing out to Buzzard Bay, a summer home beckon to sailors on the bay as if they were old friends, but if it were not for the memories shared by the author, it would not have come alive. Passed down through the generations, the author has returned home to the summer of his youth one last time to reflect upon the memories for the house was now being sold away from the family.

With the rising costs of upkeep and social status of Cape Cod’s famous summer homes, the surviving heirs of the Big House wanted none of it anymore. As you weave your way through the tale of the Big House, keep in mind the question George asks, “When the house is sold, what will happen to the wind?”

This national bestseller is a typical memoir with a lot of details to accommodate the generations of family members who descended on the Big House every summer for almost a hundred years. As diverse as Cape Cod is from the islands to P-town, for those of you who are interested in reading about a little corner of Cape Cod, particularly the Buzzard Bay end, this is the book to read.

Having lived on the upper cape for a little over 2 years myself, I can appreciate this book. It is a long winding read, not intended for the quick of the eyes, for the details about architecture, especially Cape Cod architecture, or the summer migrations of the WASP families tends to draw this book out. This was the first time I ever read about the Bostonian’s WASP culture. For those of you who do not know, WASP is White Angelo Saxon Protestant which is a social label for a certain class of non-Catholic Caucasian people.

My Recommendation

It is not a book I would suggest buying despite the fact it is a national best seller or even a National Book Award Finalist. I would encourage you to read it if you are interested in the “quaintness” of Cape Cod for this is truly reflected in this book about one family. By all means, if it is available at your local library, it is certainly worth checking.

If you would like me to review a book, please leave a comment or if you have a copy of the book, contact me for further details. Each image is linked to Amazon where you can purchase the book. A percentage of the proceeds from each purchase will be donated to primate conservation efforts worldwide.

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