Summary of The House by the Lake
In his novel “The House by the Lake”, Thomas Harding visits his grandmother’s holiday house by a lake outside of Berlin and recounts the life events of its various residents. The narrative spans from the sale of the house by a Jewish doctor in the 1930s, through the hardships of the Communist era, to the challenges of the present day.
Reasons to read The House by the Lake
“The House by the Lake” offers a detailed chronicle of 20th century German history, evoking live in its many facets and nuances. The setting of this book is reminiscent of Jenny Erpenbeck’s 2008 novel “Visitation” (‘Heimsuchung’). Thomas Harding’s book provides a richly textured portrayal of historical and personal events through the lens of a single house and its inhabitants.
Setting: Berlin – Brandenburg (Germany)
Book set in Berlin – Brandenburg (at Groß Glienicker See). Alexander Haus is now a monument.
Original title: The House by the Lake
Year of publication: 2016
Nr of pages: 464
