Her family lived in Wyncote, and I used to go home with her for the weekends and holidays when we were in school. The reason I set the book in Elkins Park is because of my friend Erica Schultz (née Buchsbaum). I later moved the whole thing into my novel, china closet and all.

I used to babysit the president’s daughter and spent a lot of time in that house. Interestingly, the vice president’s house in Bel Canto was based on an actual house - the president’s house at Sarah Lawrence College. I’ve taken bits and pieces from great houses I’ve been in over my life and run those details together - carved wooden panels, the dining room ceiling, a tiny kitchen in a grand house, the staircase, the ability to see through certain houses. The important thing is that the Dutch House in the book conjures up that feeling. It could have been a museum or a historical home. It may have been someplace you lived or someplace you drove past once.

Everyone has a house or houses they think are spectacular. It exists in my imagination and in the reader’s imagination. I hope this covers any questions you might have. The sibling bond between Danny and Maeve is well developed and a strong thread throughout the entire book.We’ve been getting a lot of questions about The Dutch House, more than I can possibly answer individually, so I’ve put together a list of answers. It examines family relationships, how they evolve, and what is required to persevere. This story is a beautiful work of literary fiction and well worth taking your time to read and absorb.

His children Danny and Maeve along with several other charcters live and work at the Dutch house and create a wonderful cast of characters. Unfortunately, the purchase of the house is the starting point of the family's unraveling. A beautiful home designed by a Dutch couple and purchased by Cyril Conroy as a surprise for his wife. When I found out Tom Hanks was the narrator of the Dutch House, I had to grab the audiobook! He brings the characters to life, and I became wholly immersed in the story and couldn't put it down.Īnn Patchett delivers a mesmerizing family saga that spans five decades which centers around The Dutch House.

The dutch house book summary