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The Dutch House: A Read with Jenna Pick

Pulitzer Prize Finalist | New York Times Bestseller | A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick | New York Times Book Review Notable Book | TIME Magazine's 100 Must-Read Books of the Year

Named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post; O: The Oprah Magazine, Real SimpleGood Housekeeping, Vogue, Refinery29, and Buzzfeed

From Ann Patchett, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth, comes a powerful, richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are.

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 sets in motion 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 one another. It is this unshakeable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.

Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.

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352 pages

Average rating: 7.58

1,408 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Anonymous
Apr 19, 2025
8/10 stars
4.5 stars.
This was such a good story about a family and a house. The author was so good at character development even the house was a character in book.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Tom Hanks. It was strange at first hearing Woody tell the story
sweetlemoneade
Mar 05, 2025
8/10 stars
This book was incredible. I did listen to the audiobook version that was narrated by Tom Hanks, but I still think reading it would’ve been just as impactful. It’s so rich, and I love how the author is so descriptive in her language.
n3k0g1rl
Feb 04, 2025
9/10 stars
This book was a narrated by Tom Hanks, it was interesting and so centered by that Dutch house, is sad how the first marriage didn't go so well and how his father was not well prepared for his death to leave the house to his children, but.. everything else worked well, is basically life, if you don't prepare well and don't leave anything for your kids is just a horrible way for them to lose everything. Over all I do recommend for this read it was very interesting I don't know what other word to use.
Anonymous
Jan 14, 2025
8/10 stars
Having grown up outside of Philadelphia, I found the setting of The Dutch House well written and very familiar.
Anonymous
Jan 11, 2025
8/10 stars
3.5 stars

reading this was like throwing a baseball in the air. it feels nice to watch it arc up and it’s satisfying to feel it thump back in your hand. but it doesn’t do anything unexpected and at the end of the day you haven’t exactly accomplished anything.

it was intriguing but i kept waiting for it to be pushed further, maybe get a bit darker? still a nice enough book though.

best tom hanks moments:
him saying Chapter 3!
him saying chapter nine :(
him saying chapter 13 :P
him singing
him pronouncing french wrong

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