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The Wide House: A Novel
An “intimately limned” saga of passion and greed in the decade before the Civil War—from the New York Times–bestselling author of Captains and the Kings (Kirkus Reviews).
The Wide House is the story of two cousins from Ireland: Stuart Coleman, a shopkeeper who dreams of building a big white house and raising a family, and Janie Cauder, a young widow with four children, only one of whom she truly adores. When Janie arrives in Grandeville, New York, the two begin a surprising romance—but happiness is not to be their fate.
Driven by ambition and haunted by self-doubt, Stuart spurns Janie for the beautiful daughter of a business rival. Janie, meanwhile, takes her disappointment out on her children and pursues new romantic opportunities—to diminishing returns. As the national mood turns increasingly antagonistic to outsiders, Stuart and Janie’s inability to love will leave a bitter mark on their lives, and on generations to come.
A richly detailed portrait of a fascinating time in American history, The Wide House is a masterwork from an author whose “sheer power” has captivated millions of readers all over the world (The New York Times).
The Wide House is the story of two cousins from Ireland: Stuart Coleman, a shopkeeper who dreams of building a big white house and raising a family, and Janie Cauder, a young widow with four children, only one of whom she truly adores. When Janie arrives in Grandeville, New York, the two begin a surprising romance—but happiness is not to be their fate.
Driven by ambition and haunted by self-doubt, Stuart spurns Janie for the beautiful daughter of a business rival. Janie, meanwhile, takes her disappointment out on her children and pursues new romantic opportunities—to diminishing returns. As the national mood turns increasingly antagonistic to outsiders, Stuart and Janie’s inability to love will leave a bitter mark on their lives, and on generations to come.
A richly detailed portrait of a fascinating time in American history, The Wide House is a masterwork from an author whose “sheer power” has captivated millions of readers all over the world (The New York Times).
796 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 4, 2018
287 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Taylor Caldwell
152 books558 followers Also known by the pen names Marcus Holland and Max Reiner.
Taylor Caldwell was born in Manchester, England. In 1907 she emigrated to the United States with her parents and younger brother. Her father died shortly after the move, and the family struggled. At the age of eight she started to write stories, and in fact wrote her first novel, The Romance of Atlantis, at the age of twelve (although it remained unpublished until 1975). Her father did not approve such activity for women, and sent her to work in a bindery. She continued to write prolifically, however, despite ill health. (In 1947, according to TIME magazine, she discarded and burned the manuscripts of 140 unpublished novels.)
In 1918-1919, she served in the United States Navy Reserve. In 1919 she married William F. Combs. In 1920, they had a daughter, Mary (known as "Peggy"). From 1923 to 1924 she was a court reporter in New York State Department of Labor in Buffalo, New York. In 1924, she went to work for the United States Department of Justice, as a member of the Board of Special Inquiry (an immigration tribunal) in Buffalo. In 1931 she graduated from SUNY Buffalo, and also was divorced from William Combs.
Caldwell then married her second husband, Marcus Reback, a fellow Justice employee. She had a second child with Reback, a daughter Judith, in 1932. They were married for 40 years, until his death in 1971.
In 1934, she began to work on the novel Dynasty of Death, which she and Reback completed in collaboration. It was published in 1938 and became a best-seller. "Taylor Caldwell" was presumed to be a man, and there was some public stir when the author was revealed to be a woman. Over the next 43 years, she published 42 more novels, many of them best-sellers. For instance, This Side of Innocence was the biggest fiction seller of 1946. Her works sold an estimated 30 million copies. She became wealthy, traveling to Europe and elsewhere, though she still lived near Buffalo.
Her books were big sellers right up to the end of her career. During her career as a writer, she received several awards.
She was an outspoken conservative and for a time wrote for the John Birch Society's monthly journal American Opinion and even associated with the anti-Semitic Liberty Lobby. Her memoir, On Growing Up Tough, appeared in 1971, consisting of many edited-down articles from American Opinion.
Around 1970, she became interested in reincarnation. She had become friends with well-known occultist author Jess Stearn, who suggested that the vivid detail in her many historical novels was actually subconscious recollection of previous lives. Supposedly, she agreed to be hypnotized and undergo "past-life regression" to disprove reincarnation. According to Stearn's book, The Search of a Soul - Taylor Caldwell's Psychic Lives, Caldwell instead began to recall her own past lives - eleven in all, including one on the "lost continent" of Lemuria.
In 1972, she married William Everett Stancell, a retired real estate developer, but divorced him in 1973. In 1978, she married William Robert Prestie, an eccentric Canadian 17 years her junior. This led to difficulties with her children. She had a long dispute with her daughter Judith over the estate of Judith's father Marcus; in 1979 Judith committed suicide.
Also in 1979, Caldwell suffered a stroke, which left her unable to speak, though she could still write. (She had been deaf since about 1965.) Her daughter Peggy accused Prestie of abusing and exploiting Caldwell, and there was a legal battle over her substantial assets.
She died of heart failure in Greenwich, Conn
Taylor Caldwell was born in Manchester, England. In 1907 she emigrated to the United States with her parents and younger brother. Her father died shortly after the move, and the family struggled. At the age of eight she started to write stories, and in fact wrote her first novel, The Romance of Atlantis, at the age of twelve (although it remained unpublished until 1975). Her father did not approve such activity for women, and sent her to work in a bindery. She continued to write prolifically, however, despite ill health. (In 1947, according to TIME magazine, she discarded and burned the manuscripts of 140 unpublished novels.)
In 1918-1919, she served in the United States Navy Reserve. In 1919 she married William F. Combs. In 1920, they had a daughter, Mary (known as "Peggy"). From 1923 to 1924 she was a court reporter in New York State Department of Labor in Buffalo, New York. In 1924, she went to work for the United States Department of Justice, as a member of the Board of Special Inquiry (an immigration tribunal) in Buffalo. In 1931 she graduated from SUNY Buffalo, and also was divorced from William Combs.
Caldwell then married her second husband, Marcus Reback, a fellow Justice employee. She had a second child with Reback, a daughter Judith, in 1932. They were married for 40 years, until his death in 1971.
In 1934, she began to work on the novel Dynasty of Death, which she and Reback completed in collaboration. It was published in 1938 and became a best-seller. "Taylor Caldwell" was presumed to be a man, and there was some public stir when the author was revealed to be a woman. Over the next 43 years, she published 42 more novels, many of them best-sellers. For instance, This Side of Innocence was the biggest fiction seller of 1946. Her works sold an estimated 30 million copies. She became wealthy, traveling to Europe and elsewhere, though she still lived near Buffalo.
Her books were big sellers right up to the end of her career. During her career as a writer, she received several awards.
She was an outspoken conservative and for a time wrote for the John Birch Society's monthly journal American Opinion and even associated with the anti-Semitic Liberty Lobby. Her memoir, On Growing Up Tough, appeared in 1971, consisting of many edited-down articles from American Opinion.
Around 1970, she became interested in reincarnation. She had become friends with well-known occultist author Jess Stearn, who suggested that the vivid detail in her many historical novels was actually subconscious recollection of previous lives. Supposedly, she agreed to be hypnotized and undergo "past-life regression" to disprove reincarnation. According to Stearn's book, The Search of a Soul - Taylor Caldwell's Psychic Lives, Caldwell instead began to recall her own past lives - eleven in all, including one on the "lost continent" of Lemuria.
In 1972, she married William Everett Stancell, a retired real estate developer, but divorced him in 1973. In 1978, she married William Robert Prestie, an eccentric Canadian 17 years her junior. This led to difficulties with her children. She had a long dispute with her daughter Judith over the estate of Judith's father Marcus; in 1979 Judith committed suicide.
Also in 1979, Caldwell suffered a stroke, which left her unable to speak, though she could still write. (She had been deaf since about 1965.) Her daughter Peggy accused Prestie of abusing and exploiting Caldwell, and there was a legal battle over her substantial assets.
She died of heart failure in Greenwich, Conn
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 11, 2023
This is my second book by this author, my first being Captains and the Kings which I enjoyed more than this one. It took me awhile to get through this modern classic. Three stars for the plotless story but a strong 4 star for Caldwells’s stellar writing and character development. Some wonderful little tidbits in her biography at the end of the book. “At age six, she won a national gold medal for her essay on novelist Charles Dickens “. I will always keep my eyes open for another of her writings to add to my tbr list.
June 8, 2010
This is mainly a novel about family, and in a Taylor Caldwell novel, family is not necessarily a happy thing to be - in this novel four siblings have little use for each other most of the time, and their own mother makes no secret of hating three of them - some of Janie Cauder's outbursts against her children in this novel will undoubtedly shock readers (author Caldwell's relationship with her two daughters was apparently not always idyllic, and one committed suicide in 1979). The characters are all emotionally stunted in one way or another.
Surprisingly, though, it all makes for a very readable novel, set mainly in upstate New York between 1850 and 1865. Caldwell's eye for detail is apparent in every description of spring and winter, every bauble and hoop worn by her characters, who are also described in full emotional detail (perhaps too excessively). Her usual flair for melodrama is present, as well, and characterizations here recur in other Caldwell novels - Joshua Allstairs could be blood-brother to Jonas Witherby of the later Testimony of Two Men.
Apparently I hadn't had my fill of Taylor Caldwell - this was the third in a row of her novels from the 1940s that I've read in about a month and a half.
Surprisingly, though, it all makes for a very readable novel, set mainly in upstate New York between 1850 and 1865. Caldwell's eye for detail is apparent in every description of spring and winter, every bauble and hoop worn by her characters, who are also described in full emotional detail (perhaps too excessively). Her usual flair for melodrama is present, as well, and characterizations here recur in other Caldwell novels - Joshua Allstairs could be blood-brother to Jonas Witherby of the later Testimony of Two Men.
Apparently I hadn't had my fill of Taylor Caldwell - this was the third in a row of her novels from the 1940s that I've read in about a month and a half.
January 14, 2022
Taylor Caldwell
There are not enough words to describe how much I love Taylor Caldwell books! I end each novel feeling such grace and peace.
There are not enough words to describe how much I love Taylor Caldwell books! I end each novel feeling such grace and peace.
August 12, 2017
Great characters, the personality's range from evil to loving and kind. She showed the inner thoughts and outward expression of each person really well. How a person can be self deluded and change for the good or not. The story moved right along and kept you interested: what is he going to do? Is she really evil? I can not say I "enjoyed" this book, but it was really interesting and it drew you into the lives of the characters. Well worth reading....
January 15, 2025
"The Wide House" by Taylor Caldwell, paperback 559 pages
I love Taylor Caldwell historical novels. So well written, very intricate details, that it's hard not to be in the middle of the story, for those of us, anyway, who are extremely visual readers.
This was set in Pre-Civil War America, in North East United States, in the city of Grandeville, near the Canadian border.
Filled with details of: commerce, President Abraham Lincoln, Politics both local and national, dirty dealings there of, and extreme child abuse of one of the main characters, widow Janie, and her four children.
Many heartbreaking scenes. Even so, this book is spectacular in detail and storylines.
I love Taylor Caldwell historical novels. So well written, very intricate details, that it's hard not to be in the middle of the story, for those of us, anyway, who are extremely visual readers.
This was set in Pre-Civil War America, in North East United States, in the city of Grandeville, near the Canadian border.
Filled with details of: commerce, President Abraham Lincoln, Politics both local and national, dirty dealings there of, and extreme child abuse of one of the main characters, widow Janie, and her four children.
Many heartbreaking scenes. Even so, this book is spectacular in detail and storylines.
April 8, 2025
A Book requiring Stamina to Get Through It
It’s been quite a while since I have read a Taylor Caldwell novel and this one requires a great degree of stamina to stay the way. Whilst the novel’s story line was quite good, the author’s long winded descriptions of everything, become very tedious, which for me, could only be overcome by skimming through these numerous passages. Again in my view, not one of her best.
It’s been quite a while since I have read a Taylor Caldwell novel and this one requires a great degree of stamina to stay the way. Whilst the novel’s story line was quite good, the author’s long winded descriptions of everything, become very tedious, which for me, could only be overcome by skimming through these numerous passages. Again in my view, not one of her best.
April 8, 2025
Taylor Caldwell has always been my favorite author since, at age 16 I bought "Let Love Come Last" on a used book table at a church fund raiser in California. I was surprised to realize I had not read this book years ago.
No one can give a description of a person that immediately evokes a complete and detailed picture of that person, like Taylor Caldwell.
No one can give a description of a person that immediately evokes a complete and detailed picture of that person, like Taylor Caldwell.
May 17, 2025
Too wordy and flowery. I was able to skim a lot of pages. It’s interesting to me that I found that I really didn’t *LIKE* most of the characters in this book, especially Janie and Stuart. It isn’t often that I don’t like any of the main characters.
July 15, 2025
This book had a great story line. For my taste there were too many descriptive pages. I skipped many . I liked all the different personalities. This story line kept me more then interested .
Like I said, I struggled with the excessive descriptions. Yet i would recommend this book...
Like I said, I struggled with the excessive descriptions. Yet i would recommend this book...
August 11, 2025
This is one book I didn’t see the future in until I got there. The characters were able to tell one another off without using foul language, but words that cut to the quick! Status, wealth, religion, race. All here.
April 5, 2023
Another dysfunctional family. I found most of the characters interesting, a few disgusting, a few sad, a few remarkable for their vision, faith in fellow humans, and generosity. Others were miserly and self indulgent, even though they projected “good”.
I loved the authors use of the English language but also felt the book dragged most if the time. The last few chapters probably made the read worthwhile for encouraging introspection.
I loved the authors use of the English language but also felt the book dragged most if the time. The last few chapters probably made the read worthwhile for encouraging introspection.
April 16, 2025
Interesting period in our history.
October 31, 2025
wonderful book
This was my first Taylor Caldwell book, but I will be reading more. Great historical book. Especially pertinent these days.
This was my first Taylor Caldwell book, but I will be reading more. Great historical book. Especially pertinent these days.
November 24, 2018
This book is about two cousins and their friends and family. Janie who is truly wicked. She is so abusive to her young children that it is uncomfortable to read those parts of the book where she is being abusive. She is self centered and selfish. Bad mother. The other cousin is Stuart. He is a reckless man but has a good heart and is kind and forgiving. There is a lot to this book. It covers hatred, love, forgiveness, vengeance, patriotism as well as racism against every nationality and religion. It was too drawn out for me in some spots but I gave it 4 stars because it had a good story line and was a meaningful book.
September 19, 2011
very slow beginning...
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October 2, 2018Very captivating book. Good read.
January 5, 2019
LOVED reading this book!
June 22, 2023
why did laurie and stuart have sex
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 19, 2009The wide house by Taylor Caldwell (1945)
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews