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| All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House | 
 enlarge | Author: David Giffels
Publisher: William Morrow
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $12.96
You Save: $12.99 (50%)
New (31) Used (14) from $11.64
Avg. Customer Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 27325
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.3
ISBN: 0061362867
Dewey Decimal Number: 643.7092
EAN: 9780061362866
ASIN: 0061362867
Publication Date: June 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new book. Same day superfast shipping. Excellent customer support.
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Product Description
Finding the perfect house is never easy. Rebuilding one from a crumbling pile—to say nothing of making it into a home—is even harder. With their infant son in tow, David Giffels and his wife comb the environs of Akron, Ohio, in search of just the right house for their burgeoning family. Running through David's head the whole time are the lyrics of a Replacements song, ". . . Look me in the eye, then tell me that I'm satisfied," and it gives all the more purpose to their quest. But nothing seems right . . . until they spot a beautiful, decaying Gilded Age mansion. A former rubber industry executive's domain, the once grand residence lacks functional plumbing and electricity, leaks rain like a cartoon shack, and is infested with all manner of wildlife. But for a young man at a coming-of-age crossroads—"suspended between a perpetual youth and an inevitable adulthood"—the challenge is exactly the allure. All the Way Home follows Giffels's funny, poignant, and confounding journey as he and his wife and a colorful collection of helpers turn a money pit into a house that will complete their family. Nothing could prepare them for a home restoration epic that includes evicting squatters (both four- and two-legged), battling an invading wisteria vine, hunting a ghost, and discovering thousands of dollars in hidden Depression-era cash. But the story's heart lies deeper, in an unexpected series of personal hardships that call into question what "home" really means, and what it means to grow up. Written with the humor and insight of Bill Bryson and John Grogan, All the Way Home is the engaging tale of a young father's struggle to restore a house and find his way . . . without losing himself.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
 Excellent Book! May 29, 2008
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I too, live in Akron Ohio and my husband and I are working on our 1928 home, so when we saw this book in our local bookstore it was irresistable!
We gulped the book down the same night - first me, then my husband (he started it at about 2am and finished it the next day), finding it wonderfully well-written, humorous and poignant (near the end).
His adventures in house restoration were far more extreme than what we've had to tackle but we could totally relate to his desire to return a once-beautiful structure to its former glory. Akron indeed has some very special neighborhoods with really wonderful, full-of-character yet affordable homes (including spectacular Tudor mansions like David's). They've all changed hands numerous times over the years and many have suffered from neglect and/or really unfortunate decorating decisions, but their bones are marvelous and they are really worth the effort to renovate and restore.
Intertwined with the very humorous saga-of-the-house, though, is his personal struggle with parenthood, ego, obsession and his attempts to balance work, an overwhelming renovation project and his fears that he was neglecting his family through his efforts to provide for it.
It made for an absorbing, at times hilarious and also touching read.
I don't want to recommend it only to people who are working on their houses (or have in the past) but I have to say that if you are or ever have, you will really relate to this book. The sheer hard work, the choices you struggle with, the level of perfection you settle on, the sense of accomplishment and the feeling that you'll never be finished - all are addressed here. Also, the attraction of old, beautifully built homes that seem to embody a kind of romance not available in modern houses. Anyone who looks for "character" in their dwelling will enjoy this book.
(Re)Making a Home in Akron June 12, 2008
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
The last decade has seen a decided boom in general interest in the ins and outs of home renovations. The increased ease of getting a mortgage seemed to dovetail with the explosive popularity of the myriad of makeover shows on cable TV's HGTV. The lure of major home renovation was no longer the obscure domain of PBS-viewing This Old House aficionados. To a certain degree, the book world has followed along, creating a mini subgenre of home reno-memoirs. Books revolving around the trials and tribulations and emotional strains of renovating old homes have taken readers to exotic locales like Italy (Under the Tuscan Sun) and Morocco (The Caliph's House), and less glamorous ones such as Maine (Renovations), and now, Akron, Ohio.
Back in 1996, local newspaper columnist Giffels and his wife faced the prospect of a second child arriving into an already snug house in a marginal neighborhood. So they set about looking for more spacious house in a more child-friendly part of town. They are eventually drawn to a decrepit turn-of-the-century Tudor mansion (with servant quarters, a billiards room, etc.) that's sort of for sale by an ancient crone. Various complications ensue, but the house is eventually theirs, and they are faced with a property which will likely cost more to properly repair than it did to purchase. (Note: Readers like me, who live in major cities, will have to get their heads around the sums involved, since the selling price wouldn't get you an efficiency in a decent neighborhood in many cities.)
The meat of the book is Giffels' humorous and thoughtful recounting of the main initial restoration (for, as his father wryly notes, the renovation work will continue until Giffels sell the house or dies!). As one expects from this type of book problems ensure, surprises occur (some good, some not), and humorous anecdotes abound (I particularly liked the hair metal band who worked as drywall contractors and the Rod Stewart-lookalike electrician). Interwoven with this is a touching (but not sappy) reflection on how his obsession -- some might say addiction -- to the renovation strains his relationship with his wife and child. Unlike the one other book of this ilk I've read, Giffels is honest about his own hubris in both taking on such a house and about his own stubbornness in pursuing the path of most resistance.
In the end, you don't have to be particularly interested in home renovations to enjoy the book. Giffels does a very nice job of bringing the reader along on his muddled attempt to create a home for his family, and that sense of family is the true heart of the book.
If this book had lips, I would kiss it May 29, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
In all seriousness, this is a fantastic book. It is funny without being obvious or simple; sincere without being overly sentimental; insightful yet entertaining.
ALL THE WAY HOME follows the Giffels family on their quest to save an old rundown house from the wrecking ball. But it's also about a lot of other things: learning what makes a house a home, the careful balance of relationships, and the sudden realization you have, at some point in your life, that you are now an "Adult."
When you read this book, you'll find yourself sharing anecdotes and stories with your friends. In fact, I'd challenge you to read it and keep it to yourself. Impossible. It's that kind of good.
Terrific! May 30, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I'm not someone inclined to enjoy a "home improvement book", but Giffels' ALL THE WAY HOME is much, much more than that. Not only is the story in itself interesting, and the family and personal dynamics artfully explored, but this book is simply written in beautiful prose that is often funny, touching, and always engaging. Highly recommended!
A Home Run! June 6, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Wow, I LOVED this book! Admittedly, I am a junkie when it comes to books about the joys and pains of home improvement, and this one is the best I've read so far! The story is an interesting one and the subject is my favorite, but what really makes "All the Way Home" stand out is his eloquent writing - the clarity and humor he uses in describing feelings and events is engaging, absolutely beautiful and made me eager for the next page like a crack addict about to make his next score. I don't think I have ever (literally) laughed out loud so many times while reading a book. At the same time, it was thoughtful, relatable and real. Loved it, loved it, loved it... I want to be friends with the author David and his wife Gina - and I want to visit their home! In fact, the only thing I felt was lacking in this book were more pictures of the house, the starring character of the story. A terrific read for anyone who's ever loved an old house (or hated squirrels!).
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