The Household Spirit

There are two main characters in this book, who have lived side by side on Route 29 in upperstate New York, but have never communicated until forces throw them together. Howie has lived almost as a recluse ever since his wife left 20 years ago. His face, which she used to call "the last face on eart......more

Everybody is weird to some degree, and with their own flavor of weird. Howard Jeffries and Emily Phane happen to be further-much further- along the weird continuum than most. They have lived next door to each other since Emily was new born, but have never interacted. Howard is pathologically shy and......more

"It sounded as if it was coming from the screens,from deep inside Emily's memory of home: a door opening, a blizzard, and the joy of a little girl shouting, "Daddy!"......more

This is a gentle, funny, poignant story about a unique friendship. The multi-generational aspect of it startled me initially, but I think that's because books are so much grief/violence porn nowadays, or sugary sweet, that to read something that isn't an extreme was a surprise. A serendipity one. I......more