A Spool of Blue Thread

By Anne Tyler

Book Overview

From the beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning author a brilliantly observed, joyful and wrenching, funny and true new novel that reveals, as only she can, the very nature of a family's life.
"It was a beautiful, breezy, yellow-and-green afternoon." This is the way Abby Whitshank always begins the story of how she fell in love with Red that day in July 1959. The whole family--their two daughters and two sons, their grandchildren, even their faithful old dog--is on the porch, listening contentedly as Abby tells the tale they have heard so many times before. And yet this gathering is different too: Abby and Red are growing older, and decisions must be made about how best to look after them, and the fate of the house so lovingly built by Red's father. Brimming with the luminous insight, humor, and compassion that are Anne Tyler's hallmarks, this capacious novel takes us across three generations of the Whitshanks, their shared stories and long-held secrets, all the unguarded and richly lived moments that combine to define who and what they are as a family.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385683448
• ISBN13: 9780385683449
• Release Date: April 2016
• Publisher: Anchor Canada
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.2"

Customer Reviews

I am thinking of rereading this book to get a better perspective.

This was an interesting treatment of a family saga novel. What was rather difficult and confusing at times to follow was the back-and-forth memories of the generations. It was often difficult to follow which generation a particular family member was relating the story. I agree with a previous reviewer - the ending could have been much better.

Excellent Read...

I love Ann Tyler, and this is absolutely one of my favorite books. She takes the time to develop each character with such depth and detail that you expect to find the Whitshanks living next door in your own neighborhood. The story starts in the present and somehow seamlessly works backwards to expand into the roots of the family tree. I pick up this book each time I'm about to take a long flight and it keeps me engaged each and every time! I definitely recommend this one! Although the ending could have been better, I still give it an excellent rating.