Housekeeping
Preface

Preface

Introduction

Historical Context

About the Author

Other Works/Adaptations

Discussion Questions

Additional Resources

Credits

Teacher's Guide

Although I am a compulsive reader, I can't think of another novel quite like Marilynne Robinson's luminous Housekeeping. Set in the remote, imaginary town of Fingerbone, Idaho, it presents the precarious and eccentric lives of three generations of Foster family women from the perspective of the youngest member, Ruth. The novel chronicles the deaths, abandonments, and insecurities that beset the Fosters so vividly that it is often heartbreaking, but the book also radiates a mysterious joy and tender humor commensurate with Ruth's childish capacity for the sheer wonder of being alive.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to revitalize the role of literary reading in American popular culture. Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, a 2004 NEA report, identified a critical decline in reading for pleasure among American adults. The Big Read aims to address this issue directly by providing citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities.

A great book combines enlightenment with enchantment. It awakens our imagination and enlarges our humanity. It can even offer harrowing insights that somehow console and comfort us. Whether you're a regular reader already or a nonreader making up for lost time, thank you for joining The Big Read.

Dana Gioia
Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts