Reading Group: The Dutch House (Saturday)

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At the Reading Group in January we'll discuss The Dutch House, the Pullitzer Prize shortlisted novel by bestselling author Ann Patchett.

At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house proves the undoing of everyone he loves.

The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is each other. It's this unshakable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.

Spanning five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past.

The Reading Group is free and you don't need to book. For more information contact Adam on 720392 or email [email protected]

Can't make it on Saturday? Why not come on Wednesday instead.