The House, 1916

Rating:
Summary: History comes alive
Review: The House in the title is as ordinary as it appears. So are the families who take turns living there, in a well-to-do New Jersey suburb, from just before the First World War to near the end of the 20th Century.
What's extraordinary is how deftly Norton tells the story of that century by tracing their lives and, sometimes, deaths.
They face the great crises of their world, from the deadly flu epidemic of 1918 to The Depression to Vietnam. At the same time, they struggle with their own foibles, and the timeless but often overwhelming challenges of human existence.
The House: 1916 is epic in scope. But its sharp focus and crisp tone make history seem current and vivid, even if it's often raw and occasionally shocking. And make no mistake: the story is fiction, but the feel and setting are authentic. So are many of the names, the real Tony Sopranos who bought and sold politicians and even newspaper publishers.
Full disclosure: Norton is a long-time pal and mentor, which is how I know that this is no pipe dream. He walked these streets as a reporter, and came eye-to-eye with corruption and violence.
He moved on from New Jersey and the newspaper business years ago. Luckily, he never quite got either one out of his blood.