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In My Father's House
‘The world divides itself into those who throw things out and those who hang onto them, don’t you think? The heavers and the hoarders. My father and I just happen to be two of the latter.’
A rusted wok; a rooster’s feather; a battered cricket bat; World War II medals; a Vietnam War Moratorium badge; a ring. Why are these things so precious to Beth?
Beth has been living in her father’s house, looking after the wretched old man, waiting for him to die. Now at last he is gone and she must clear out the contents of the house ready for sale. But Beth is a hoarder. Parting with anything at all is agony for her. Parting with certain things is unthinkable.
Martha is a professional clutter buster, a ruthless neat freak. Throwing things out is easy for her. Some say too easy. She has been hired by Beth to help her decide which of her possessions can stay and which must go.
As the two women begin to trawl through the mountains of ‘stuff’, they make some amazing discoveries. Memories surface, revelations are made and the layers of both their lives are slowly peeled back.
In My Father’s House is about passion, obsession and imagination. It is about families – their secrets, lies and loves. It is about the ways in which war damages people’s lives, and about what it really means to be brave. It is about coming to terms with the past, letting go and moving on.
A rusted wok; a rooster’s feather; a battered cricket bat; World War II medals; a Vietnam War Moratorium badge; a ring. Why are these things so precious to Beth?
Beth has been living in her father’s house, looking after the wretched old man, waiting for him to die. Now at last he is gone and she must clear out the contents of the house ready for sale. But Beth is a hoarder. Parting with anything at all is agony for her. Parting with certain things is unthinkable.
Martha is a professional clutter buster, a ruthless neat freak. Throwing things out is easy for her. Some say too easy. She has been hired by Beth to help her decide which of her possessions can stay and which must go.
As the two women begin to trawl through the mountains of ‘stuff’, they make some amazing discoveries. Memories surface, revelations are made and the layers of both their lives are slowly peeled back.
In My Father’s House is about passion, obsession and imagination. It is about families – their secrets, lies and loves. It is about the ways in which war damages people’s lives, and about what it really means to be brave. It is about coming to terms with the past, letting go and moving on.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 26, 2014
In My Father’s House by Jane Mundy uses an unusual scenario to lure the reader in: it’s about a woman who’s a hoarder and she gets in one of those clutter-buster types to help her sort out the mess in the house so that it can be sold. This process enables the characters to retrieve memories long suppressed and to sort out what it is that they really value.
The last time I read a book in a similar vein was Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow and that ended very badly indeed because they didn’t have a clutter-buster! In this novel, however, the author shows not only how necessary it is to shed the hoard, but also how hard it is. Martha the clutter-buster proclaims her three rules of thumb: ‘do you use whatever it is;? do you need it? does it have any sentimental value? but her method also includes starting in the kitchen where there are fewer items likely to cause angst, and also lots of talk, asking about Beth’s future plans. Still, she gets it badly wrong when she is about to toss a wok into the pile of discards, not realising that this particular wok has memories that go back a lifetime.
Beth was a young adult when the Vietnam War started tearing Australian families apart. Her father, who for his own hidden reasons is dogmatically supportive of the military, is also implacably against anyone who objects to Australia’s participation in the war. Beth falls in love with a young conscientious objector. This is the kind of scenario that estranged families for decades.
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2014/11/08/in...
The last time I read a book in a similar vein was Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow and that ended very badly indeed because they didn’t have a clutter-buster! In this novel, however, the author shows not only how necessary it is to shed the hoard, but also how hard it is. Martha the clutter-buster proclaims her three rules of thumb: ‘do you use whatever it is;? do you need it? does it have any sentimental value? but her method also includes starting in the kitchen where there are fewer items likely to cause angst, and also lots of talk, asking about Beth’s future plans. Still, she gets it badly wrong when she is about to toss a wok into the pile of discards, not realising that this particular wok has memories that go back a lifetime.
Beth was a young adult when the Vietnam War started tearing Australian families apart. Her father, who for his own hidden reasons is dogmatically supportive of the military, is also implacably against anyone who objects to Australia’s participation in the war. Beth falls in love with a young conscientious objector. This is the kind of scenario that estranged families for decades.
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2014/11/08/in...
April 8, 2019
I’m grateful to Jane Mundy for her easy storytelling style, set in and around an Australian home in a particular neighbourhood.
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September 12, 2014In My Father’s House is beautifully written and a pleasure to read. As the decluttering of Beth’s family home begins so too does a gradual unburdening of the past and the discovery of a stunning secret. Three generations, three very different wars, a taciturn and selfish father. Jane captures the essence of the 60s and weaves a spellbinding story of family, love, loss and new beginnings. Its a must read! - Judy Flanagan
October 3, 2014
I was very impressed with this book it delved into a number of subjects that people in general prefer to avoid and handled it sensitively. The effects of war service, hoarding addiction and grief were woven through the story. It's also about families and how their dissatisfaction, lies and secrets determines the future of all involved. I was extremely fortunate to get this as a gift from first reads.
January 31, 2015
A beautifully written story with many themes about familiy relationships, war, and the resolution of loss and grief. I loved the Australian history interwoven throughout.
July 31, 2016
The dad is a prick but I feel for him. His desire to be a good writer was overwhelmed by the more insidious desire to be known as a good writer.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews