The Salt House: A Summer on the Dunes of Cape Cod

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Summary: The Provincetown You Probably Didn't Know
Review: Having lived in Provincetown year-round, I thought I knew the place pretty well, but 'The Salt House' opened my eyes to another side of life on the Outer Cape. I lived in town; Cynthia Huntington lived in a dune shack. In the book, Huntington gets to know not only the flora and fauna of the place, but also the history and people who have been there for generations. She also lucidly portrays two kinds of solitude: being alone with oneself, and being alone with another person in a remote place. Huntington's prose is clean, clear, and driven by the forces of real life. So is her poetry, which you should check out if you haven't already ('We Have Gone to the Beach,' 'The Fish-Wife').

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Summary: Breathtaking. Profound.
Review: I cannot believe how wonderful this book is. I've read it twice, and it's even more amazing the second time around. This is one of those books you'll want to revisit again and again. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Huntington's work.

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Summary: An astonishing, beautiful book.
Review: I often approach the books I read with a secret hope that one of them might change my life, or inspire one of those "a-ha!" moments in terms of self discovery and the world perceived, or, equally important, have some impact on my writing life. For me, The Salt House was such a book. Huntington writes about this particular landscape with such intimacy and insight, such attentiveness, that is moves beyond what is local to embrace what is universal in our relationships with ourselves and others, and with the places we call home. I can't say enough about this beautiful book.

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Summary: This is a classic.
Review: This book is destined to become a classic not only in the rich field of Cape Cod writing but in nature and memoir in general. Huntington's prose is simple and pure, evoking not only the outer landscape, but the inner landscape of a woman's mind. What a pleasure it is to be in a mind so generous, open, and curious about the world! This is a book I will read over and over.

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Summary: I was inspired!
Review: This is one of the best books I have read in a while. I have been on a nonfiction kick for a few months. As a college student I don't often have much time to devote to "reading for pleasure" but since I'm on vacation I've had a little time. Reading this book in February brought me right back to June and July. It's descriptions were wonderful and reminded me why I love the beach. The author's reflections on her relationships seem to echo my own feelings that I can't express. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the beach and enjoys being there by themself or with a loved one!

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Summary: I was inspired!
Review: This is one of the best books I have read in a while. I have been on a nonfiction kick for a few months. As a college student I don't often have much time to devote to "reading for pleasure" but since I'm on vacation I've had a little time. Reading this book in February brought me right back to June and July. It's descriptions were wonderful and reminded me why I love the beach. The author's reflections on her relationships seem to echo my own feelings that I can't express. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the beach and enjoys being there by themself or with a loved one!

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Summary: A Gem of a Book.
Review: This lovely, meditative book was given to me as a gift, and what a perfectly wonderful gift it has been. Ms. Huntington's attention to detail reminds me of Gilbert White's classic, The Natural History of Selborne. She writes with such intelligence and pathos that her subject illuminates the emotional and psychological landscapes within each of us.

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Summary: A book I will cherish forever.
Review: When I closed the last page of this book, I wanted to start at page one again. The Salt House is a beautiful, meditative work. Huntington has a true ability to distill life into its poetic essences. The semi-philosophical nature of the book makes it timeless, and therefore good for re-reading. If you like reading journals and letters, or if you are a lover of nature, this will be right up your alley.

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Summary: Too perfumy.
Review: You can tell that the author is also a poet because this book is very, very perfumy. Very, very detailed. A whole chapter almost on the trails that a sea gull makes. Beautifully written but very little context. Should have instead been made into a 5 page short story. Would love to meet this person and be friends with her though. She would make a great next door neighbor it seems! :) If you like Barbara Kingsolver style writing you will probably love this book but if you prefer the Memoir style writing of Joan Anderson of A Year by the Sea (also taking place on Cape Cod) this isn't the book for you.

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Summary: I was inspired!
Review: You must read this book! It's poetic and profound and full of energy. Huntington writes honestly and intimately, and her words will take you to a world of great beauty--she left me longing for this world. If you like nature writing or memoir writing you will not find a better book.