Last House: A Novel [Paperback]

A richly detailed, slow-burning family saga distinguished by incisive psychological insight and masterful research. . . Shattuck is such a good writer, giving us swaths of cultural and historical background as gracefully and intelligently as she parses the emotional depths of her characters. Every note in the novel rings clear and true.   Kate Christensen, New York Times Book Review 

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Women in the Castle comes a sweeping story of a nation on the rise, and one familys deeply complicated relationship to the resource that built their fortune and fueled their greatest tragedy, a gripping work of historical fiction perfect for fans of The Dutch House and Great Circle.

Its 1953, and for Nick Taylor, WWII veteran turned company lawyer, oil is the key to the future. He takes the train into the city for work and returns to the peaceful streets of the suburbs and to his wife, Bet, former codebreaker now housewife, and their two children, Katherine and Harry. Nick comes from humble origins but thanks to his work for American Oil, he can provide every comfort for his family and achieve his own American dream, including Last House, a secluded country escape. Deep in the Vermont mountains, the Taylors are free from the stresses of modern life. Bet doesnt have to worry about the Russian H-bombs that haunt her dreams, and the children roam free in the woods. Last House is a place that could survive the end of the world.

Its 1968, and America is on the brink of change. Protestors fill the streets to challenge everything from the Vietnam War to racism in the wake of MLKs shootingto the country's reliance on Big Oil. As Katherine makes her first forays into adult life, shes caught up in the current of the time and the 1960s counterculture, and struggles to reconcile her ideals with the stable and privileged childhood her Greatest Generation parents worked so hard to provide. But whlÃ