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A Home Called New England: A Celebration of Hearth and History
New England is the oldest and most influential region of America. Although it has changed much through the centuries, it remains a place that even the Colonials may still recognize. Through a collection of photos, illustrations, history, and stories, this book explores the architectural history of New England and how, although it has changed much through the centuries, it remains a place that even the Colonials might still recognize.
The book begins with the influence of climate and geography on the architectural choices and follows with the basics of the well-known New England homes––the cape, the saltbox, the colonial––all of which were created to serve the very specific needs of this corner of America, the people, the land and the climate. We look at the earliest settlers, understanding the challenges they faced, and follow their descendants as they convert and adapt the traditional New England home into something still clearly New England but different, newer and, ultimately, even modern. We watch how the people and houses evolve and how they become what are still clearly identifiable as New England––and all over New England, from Connecticut’s Gold Coast to the rocky shores of Maine.
Sprinkled throughout the story of this evolution are sidebars such as A New England State of Mind and I Live Here, etc… where we meet the quintessential New England personalities and characters, who speak through letters, epitaphs, remembrances, books, newspapers, and others, and hear and see in their own words and images what they make or made of this place and life in it.
People who buy this book will enjoy a very visual sense of what it’s like to be a New Englander and what it’s like to live in New England––whose houses have been copied and adapted in every state, city and neighborhood of America.
The book begins with the influence of climate and geography on the architectural choices and follows with the basics of the well-known New England homes––the cape, the saltbox, the colonial––all of which were created to serve the very specific needs of this corner of America, the people, the land and the climate. We look at the earliest settlers, understanding the challenges they faced, and follow their descendants as they convert and adapt the traditional New England home into something still clearly New England but different, newer and, ultimately, even modern. We watch how the people and houses evolve and how they become what are still clearly identifiable as New England––and all over New England, from Connecticut’s Gold Coast to the rocky shores of Maine.
Sprinkled throughout the story of this evolution are sidebars such as A New England State of Mind and I Live Here, etc… where we meet the quintessential New England personalities and characters, who speak through letters, epitaphs, remembrances, books, newspapers, and others, and hear and see in their own words and images what they make or made of this place and life in it.
People who buy this book will enjoy a very visual sense of what it’s like to be a New Englander and what it’s like to live in New England––whose houses have been copied and adapted in every state, city and neighborhood of America.
425 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2017
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July 19, 2021
This somewhat eccentric volume attempts to be a cultural history of New England. The book is a bit of mess — not visually, its images and layout are gorgeous. But it was written by an architect in collaboration with a writer/editor, when they really could have used an historian as a third member of the team. They don’t really get things wrong, but there’s a surprising paucity of dates at times, and one cannot help but think a historian could have given more context and shape to this material. Not to fundamentally change the book, which is a fun grab bag of material and intellectual culture, but give it a little more grounding.
The writing isn’t bad overall, but really could have used another edit. Too often there are parenthetical asides that lead nowhere, or orphaned sentences or ideas. For example, on page 195, the authors observe “In Hartford two buildings a quarter mile apart, built 150 years apart, are shining examples of hubris and cultural evolution.” There then proceeds a discussion of the Colt firearms factory, which is quite good and interesting but we never find out what the other building was, as it then leads into a discussion of John Deere, who was from New England but built his factory in Moline, Illinois. Similarly, in a discussion of showman P.T. Barnum, it’s noted “(like his grandfather) he started a career dedicated to making mirth via shock” without ever mentioning who that grandfather was or what he did. Again, they note “two of Lyman Beecher’s children had unique impacts on American culture.” That leads into a discussion of Henry Ward Beecher, but the other famous child, Harriet Beecher Stowe, isn’t discussed until 50 pages later.
In the end I still quite like this book, but it’s frustrating to think with a little more work this could have been a book I loved.
The writing isn’t bad overall, but really could have used another edit. Too often there are parenthetical asides that lead nowhere, or orphaned sentences or ideas. For example, on page 195, the authors observe “In Hartford two buildings a quarter mile apart, built 150 years apart, are shining examples of hubris and cultural evolution.” There then proceeds a discussion of the Colt firearms factory, which is quite good and interesting but we never find out what the other building was, as it then leads into a discussion of John Deere, who was from New England but built his factory in Moline, Illinois. Similarly, in a discussion of showman P.T. Barnum, it’s noted “(like his grandfather) he started a career dedicated to making mirth via shock” without ever mentioning who that grandfather was or what he did. Again, they note “two of Lyman Beecher’s children had unique impacts on American culture.” That leads into a discussion of Henry Ward Beecher, but the other famous child, Harriet Beecher Stowe, isn’t discussed until 50 pages later.
In the end I still quite like this book, but it’s frustrating to think with a little more work this could have been a book I loved.
Displaying 1 of 1 review