A “beautifully written” Pulitzer Prize–winning novel about prejudice and a distinguished family’s secrets in the American South (The Atlantic Monthly). Seven generations of the Howland family have lived in the Alabama plantation home built by an ancestor who fought for Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812. Over the course of a century, the Howlands accumulated a fortune, fought for secession, and … fought for secession, and helped rebuild the South, establishing themselves as one of the most respected families in the state. But that history means little to Abigail Howland.
The inheritor of the Howland manse, Abigail hides the long-buried secret of her grandfather’s thirty-year relationship with his African American mistress. Her fortunes reverse when her family’s mixed-race heritage comes to light and her community—locked in the prejudices of the 1960s—turns its back on her. Faced with such deep-seated racism, Abigail is pushed to defend her family at all costs.
A “novel of real magnitude,” The Keepers of the House is an unforgettable story of family, tradition, and racial injustice set against the richly drawn backdrop of the American South (Kirkus Reviews).
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Shirley Ann Grau, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.
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this book was written around the 1950s and received a Pulitzer. I was totally unfamiliar with the author and chose it out of curiosity. It is an exquisitely written account (saga) of a family called the Howlands, who settled in Tennessee in the 1700s (?). The book tells a wonderful story of industry and determination, focusing a great deal on …
Excellent writing! Intriguing story.
Very descriptive writing.
I wanted to give this book five or at least four stars. I truly liked the story, and the characters. The language is poetic; but that was the problem. At times the author seemed so in love with her poetic descriptions of various flora and fauna that she droned on and on, page after page. If these descriptions had been shorter they would have been …
The book is often vague when details are necessary(especially when describing reactions to momentous events in the protagonists life) and detailed at times when not so necessary.
Great piece of Southern Gothic literature.
The Keepers of the House won the Pulitzer Prize in 1965. I imagine at that time it was very shocking and disturbing. Some would have been shocked by the level of racism and others by the rich white man marrying a black woman. Some things have changed since that time. Unfortunately some have not.
I enjoyed the book and the writing style. But, the …
Too slow — couldn’t get through it!
Read this book over 40 or 50 years ago. Still remember it while so many others are forgotten.
A beautifully told story of a southern family’s ascent to a controlling force in a rural area. The dehumanizing effects of naked racism and the hate based behavior of bigoted idiots is laid bare in lyrical and often droll language. As good a story on the Power of familial love as you are likely to find.
The author draws in her readers to keep the pages turning. I love all her books that I’ve read
Fabulous to follow four generations of this Southern family during a pivotal time in our history. Don’t set my barn on fire!!!!!
I really liked it but thought it ended way too soon.
good read
Beautifully written!
As the story developed I could not put it down! I have highly recommended it to quite a few people. The span of generations proved so interesting. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Good read somewhat historical
Extremely well written individual histories of the various Keepers, however the arrangement of the chapters was disruptive to the flow. This reader is used to searching through various documents and testimonies to find the true picture, however it was not apparent until the last chapter that the title was, for a change, the real thread of the …
Lyrical
It’s hard to describe because parts of it were somewhat tedious and I almost gave up. However, in the end I was glad I hadn’t. It was written about the South in 1964 so it gives you a perspective of what the country was like at a difficult period of time prior to that date and maybe up to and including 1964.