A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

This is a compelling book, chronicling the lives of four generations of the Whitshank family in Baltimore. By and large the story centres around their family home, the building of it, the living in it and the departure. The people are fascinating because they are so flawed and so real. Tyler jumps back and forth as the stories of each of the characters are revealed and they are indeed touching, often sad but surprising in their revelation of the grit and resilience that people find within themselves. So we begin with Linnie and Junior, who come together from poverty and an almost backwoods existence to build their future together; their children Red and his sister; Red’s wife Abby and their kids Amanda, Jeannie, Denny and Stem and their families as well. It is satisfying to see how Tyler works family characteristics through the generations. Although her novels could easily become soap operas, they never do. She’s a master of low-level miserable relationships.