Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
The novel explores the life of two sisters, Ruth and Lucille, who are raised by a series of relatives in a small, secluded town in Idaho after their mother's suicide. The girls' lives are profoundly affected by the eccentric and transient lifestyle of their aunt Sylvie, who becomes their guardian. The narrative delves deeply into themes of family, identity, womanhood, and the impermanence of life, ultimately leading to a divide between the sisters as they choose different paths in life.
The 306th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1980
- Nationality
- American
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- 200-300
- Words
- 78,000
- Original Language
- English
- Alternate Titles
- None
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following 21 lists:
- 14th on The 50 best books of the past 100 years (The Times)
- 47th on Harvard Book Store Staff's Favorite 100 Books (Harvard Book Store)
- 53rd on 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction (Larry McCaffery)
- 68th on 100 Best Books to Read by Women Authors (Good Housekeeping)
- 85th on The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List (The Observer)
- 88th on In Which These Are the 100 Greatest Novels (ThisRecording.com)
- 793rd on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 814th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 100 Great 20th Century English-language Works of Fiction by Women (Feminista!)
- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature (The Center for Fiction)
- 125 Books We Love for Adults (NY Public Library)
- NY Times Editors Choice 1980-1989 (NY Times)
- One Hundred Best American Novels, 1770 to 1985 (The American Scholar)
- The Great American Novels (The Atlantic)
- The 75 Best Books of the Past 75 Years (Parade Magazine)
- What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years? (New York Times)
- The 100 Greatest American Novels, 1893 – 1993 (Jeff O'Neal at Bookriot.com)
- 100 Best Novels Written in English (The Guardian)
- 500 Great Books by Women (Book)
- TIME Magazine All Time 100 Novels (TIME Magazine)
- The Modern Library: The Two Hundred Best Novels in English Since 1950 (The Modern Library (Book))