Dream House: A Memoir

by Charlotte Nekola

The co-editor of Writing An Anthology of American Women Writers, 1930-1940 comes to terms with her mother's early death from cancer, her father's alcoholism, and her sister's drift into homelessness in a look back at life in the 1950s.

175 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Windy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's not so much the story of the author's life as it is the story of five individual persons who lived in a brick house in St. Louis in the 1950's -- their secrets, their passions, the little puzzle-pieces of evidence that each of them would rather be anywhere but here. Dream House is worth a read if only for its sensual appreciation of the smallest moments, the luxurious metaphors (a guilty pleasure of mine), and the uncanny feeling that this book is about the reader as much as it is about the author.

[Iva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some memoirs just work--the pace is right, the mood perfect, the sense of place consistent throughout. This is that type of memoir. The fifties have been portrayed so often it is harder to bring the fresh voice and observant tone that Nekola bring to this short but not slight book. A satisfying and wothwhile experience for those who seek family memoirs.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The phrase that came to mind when I read this book was, "living lives of quiet desperation". The father is an alcoholic, the mother feels unfulfilled and compensates by trying to be a super mom, the older sister...well, I won't give any more away here. It's just a sad memoir with few glimmers of happiness. The writing itself is really good--but it can't overcome the sadness of it all.

[Maria ✮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worst part? Relating to the characters