Lorna's Reviews > The Yellow House

The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
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The Yellow House by Sarah Broom was a beautiful memoir that was not only the story of this very special family but a of a very special house, a home that loomed so large and an integral part of their history in New Orleans, Louisiana. The author, Sarah M. Broom, dedicates her book to three special women, Amelia "Lolo," Auntie Elaine and Ivory Mae; her maternal grandmother, her aunt and her mother, all strong women and such important influences in her life.

This is a stunning debut memoir by Sarah M. Broom that wraps you up in the lives of these people. Her mother, Ivory Mae, a young widow with several babies, invests her life savings into a home in New Orleans East. Later Ivory Mae meets and marries the love of her life, Simon Broom. This is the story of this burgeoning family soon to be home to twelve children. It was said that the home almost became the thirteenth child of Ivory Mae as she struggled to keep the home livable. When Hurricane Katrina struck, this house along with so many others, was lost. This is not only the story of how this family dealt with this tragedy, but the devastation that was endured by so many in New Orleans during this catastrophic and humbling disaster.

"And then you see the lives of the children and they become the living people of the house, the house lives in them. They become the house instead of the house becoming them. When I look at you all, I don't really see the house, but I see what happened from the house. And so in that way, the house can't die."

"There are years that ask questions and years than answer."

-- Zora Neale Hurston
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Reading Progress

August 13, 2019 – Shelved
August 13, 2019 – Shelved as: to-read
August 13, 2019 – Shelved as: memoirs
August 13, 2019 – Shelved as: american-south
December 22, 2019 – Shelved as: cities-we-love
December 22, 2019 – Shelved as: on-deck
December 25, 2019 – Shelved as: southern-literary-trail
January 2, 2020 – Started Reading
January 3, 2020 –
page 185
49.2% "“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” — Zora Neale Hurston"
January 3, 2020 –
page 192
51.06% "“And then you see the lives of the children and they become the living people of the house, the house lives in them. They become the house instead of the house becoming them. When I look at you all, I don’t really see the house, but I see what happened from the house. And so in that way, the house can’t die.”"
January 3, 2020 –
page 232
61.7% "“I had no home. Mine had fallen all the way down. I understood, then, that the place I never wanted to claim had, in fact, been containing me. We own what belongs to us whether we claim it or not. When the house fell down, it can be said, something in me opened up.”"
January 3, 2020 –
page 232
61.7% "“When the house fell down, it can be said, something in me opened up. Cracks help a house resolve internally it’s pressures and stresses, my engineer friend had said. Houses provide a frame that bears us up. Without that physical structure, we are the house that bears itself up. I was now the house.”"
January 3, 2020 –
page 282
75.0% "“The River was the metaphor: ‘It keeps moving. . . it does not always stay the same. Over time, it has changed course.’”"
January 3, 2020 – Finished Reading
March 9, 2020 – Shelved as: new-orleans
October 16, 2020 – Shelved as: national-book-awards-finalists

Comments Showing 1-15 of 15 (15 new)

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♥ Sandi ❣	Nice review! I have to get to this one...sigh...


message 2: by Alisa (new) - added it

Alisa It's on my TBR. Great review!


Lorna ♥ Sandi ❣ wrote: "Nice review! I have to get to this one...sigh..."

Thank you, Sandi. It was an interesting memoir with the yellow house a dominant focal point.


Lorna Alisa wrote: "It's on my TBR. Great review!"

Thank you so much, Alisa. I will look forward to your thoughts.


message 5: by Jill (new)

Jill Hutchinson I love those shotgun houses in New Orleans. Hope the book is good.


Lorna Jill wrote: "I love those shotgun houses in New Orleans. Hope the book is good."

Jill, I love those shotgun houses, too. The architecture in New Orleans is beautiful, one of my favorite cities in the south.

I found the book very readable. It is basically divided into four sections: the history of Broom's family, the history of the yellow house and the years it was occupied by the Broom family, Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, and the situation in New Orleans East today following Hurricane Katrina.


message 7: by Jill (new)

Jill Hutchinson Sounds like one for my tbr list. Thanks, Lorna.


Lorna Jill, I will look forward to your thoughts.


Lorna Jill, my husband is now reading this. He said Broom’s writing is like sitting on the porch with her, sipping sweet tea, while she tells stories.


message 10: by Jill (new)

Jill Hutchinson That convinces me!!!


Lorna Jill wrote: "That convinces me!!!"

Enjoy!!


message 12: by Jaidee (new) - added it

Jaidee A wonderful review Lorna. Added and thank you !


Lorna Thank you so much, Jaidee. I will be interested in your thoughts.


Sharon Orlopp Terrific review!


Lorna Thank you, Sharon.


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