The Easter House
by David Rhodes
The
largest residence in Ontarion, Iowa, looms over the town and three
generations of the Easters. A minister favored by the
townspeople until he rescued a Caliban-like creature from a carnival
sideshow, Ansel Easter paved a difficult path for his sons, C and Sam. After Ansel’s
violent death, no one in town was surprised when his children abandoned
the house their father built in search of a new beginning.
Unable to shake Ansel’s burdensome legacy from afar, the brothers
return separately to the house. C and his wife start a junkyard in the
expansive lawn of the Easter house and barter used appliances, cars,
and random items for necessities. Eventually, C and Sam create a more
lucrative business: the Associates, a group of men offering services
for a fee. When a rash of deaths occur and the Ontarions suspect the
Associates, the sins of the father appear to revisit the sons.
Shocking and suspenseful, The Easter House
is an engrossing story of family redemption and survival. Originally
published in 1974, David Rhodes’ second novel captures the oppressive
somnolence of a small community while intertwining elements of the
American gothic tradition, illuminating the strangeness that lurks
beneath the surface.
Read an excerpt from The Easter House
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David Rhodes
Author's Bio:As a young man, DAVID RHODES worked in fields,
hospitals, and factories across Iowa, nurturing his love of reading
along the way. After receiving an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in
1971, he published three novels in rapid succession: The Last Fair
Deal Going Down (Atlantic/Little, Brown, 1972), The Easter
House (Harper & Row, 1974), and Rock Island Line (Harper & Row, 1975). A motorcycle accident in 1976 left him
paralyzed from the chest down, which brought a temporary halt to his
publishing career. In 2008, he returned to publication with Driftless,
which has been heralded as a critical success and the “best work of
fiction to come out of the Midwest in many years” (Chicago Tribune).
Rhodes lives with his wife, Edna, in rural Wisconsin.
Quotes:Praise for The Easter House
"The Easter House offers the tale of another tormented Midwestern clan, but in its pages no border exists between everyday life and the super-real. I wouldn't trade a word of The Easter House for anything." —New York Times Book Review
"Rhodes proves that there is still vigorous life in the dark Gothic roots of the great American novels." —The Tennessean
"This is [an almost impossible book to put down,] with its forceful narrative and striking characters, Rhodes is a brilliant writer and The Easter House is a moving literary experience." —Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Rhodes's writing is smooth and wry, combining Richard Russo's genius
for the details of small-town thinking and Flannery O'Connor's flair
for shading things toward the weird side of normal. If there was any
justice in the literary world, its shocking end alone would make it an
American classic. If you liked Driftless, do yourself a favor and read The Easter House." —Mpls.St.Paul Magazine
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Price:
$ 15.00
Binding: Paperback
Availability In Stock: 290
Available Immediately
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Published: 2009
Size: 5.5 x 8.5
Genre: Fiction/Literature
Pages: 384 pp
ISBN: 9781571310774
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