The keepers of the house

Description

Entrenched on the same land since the early 1800s, the Howlands have, for seven generations, been pillars of their southern community. Extraordinary family lore has been passed down to Abigail Howland, but not all of it. When shocking facts come to light about her late grandfather William's relationship with Margaret Carmichael, a black housekeeper, the community is outraged, and quickly gathers to vent its fury on Abigail. Alone in the house the Howlands built, she is at once shaken by those who have betrayed her, and determined to punish the town that has persecuted her and her kin. Morally intricate, graceful, and suspenseful, The Keepers of the House has become a modern classic.

First Sentence

November evenings are quiet and still and dry.

Description

The Keepers of the House is a novel of immense power that builds slowly, in layers, to an overarching realization both terrible and satisfying. It is the story of William Howland and Margaret Carmichael and their love for each other, told by William's granddaughter, Abigail. Seven generations of Howland family lore are handed down to Abigail by her grandfather, whose own story, however, he does not fully reveal to her. When searing information about William comes to light after his death, Abigail must face the fury and judgment of the entire county. Abandoned, isolated, and yet exhilarated, she heeds the gaze of her ancestors and with incisiveness bordering on madness acts to keep the Howland legacy intact.

Subjects

Genres

• Fiction.

Series Statement

• Voices of the South

Other Editions

• The keepers of the houseLouisiana State University Press1995-01-01
• The keepers of the house.Longmans1964-01-01
• The keepers of the house.Knopf1964-01-01
• The keepers of the houseFranklin Library1977-01-01
• The keepers of the houseVintage Books2003-01-01
• The Keepers of the HousePaperbackVintage2003-11-11