The Dutch House: American author talks about 'going back to books'
American author Ann Patchett is out with her eighth novel, The Dutch House. Bringing out all the complexity of emotions that characterise any close familial bond, her carefully constructed narrative spans five decades, etching out Danny and Maeve Conroy’s life choices and where they lead them.
Patchett’s characters have a realness to them, which brings to life the Orange prize winner’s fictional world.
Tell us about The Dutch House.
The Dutch House is the story of Danny and Maeve Conroy, a brother and sister who grow up in a fantastically beautiful and elaborate mansion outside of Philadelphia. Their mother leaves and their father remarries, and after that, the stepmother throws them out.
At its heart, it’s a book about not being able to let go of the past. Danny and Maeve go on to have happy lives, or happy enough, but they never stop obsessing over the house and what they lost.
In the beginning, I wanted to write about a character who walks away from wealth, but it turned into something else entirely.
The intricacies of familial relationships drives the narrative. How much of that came from your experiences?
My last novel, Commonwealth, was very much inspired by my childhood and my own experiences. This book, I just made up, though I have many friends who’ve had hard experiences with their stepmothers. My stepmother is one of the nicest people I know.
From Commonwealth to The Dutch House, what was the hardest part about writing on the complexities of human nature in these novels?
I don’t set out to write about the complexities of human nature, I just try to write about realistic humans from realistic families. I think everyone’s families are complicated, even happy ones. I think, we have different expectations for people than we do for fictional characters. Real people have big, messy lives filled with people. Real people tend to be good and bad at the same time. I want my fictional characters to be more like the people I know.
You own an independent bookstore, Parnassus Books, since 2011. What are the challenges in the publishing industry today?
Actually, the tide is turning. More and more independent bookstores are opening every year. The stores are smaller, but things look good. People are going back to books.
My own experience with the bookstore has been nothing but happiness. It’s been a wonderful way for me to be part of my community. I love the people who work there. I love recommending books to customers. I can bring my dog to work with me. It’s great!