The Yellow House

The Yellow House is Sarah M. Broom's debut memoir chronicling the story of her family's home in New Orleans East over multiple generations. The titular yellow house serves as both the physical center of her family's life and a metaphor for the broader New Orleans experience across a century of change. Broom reconstructs her family history through extensive research and interviews, mapping the connections between place, identity, and belonging in New Orleans. The narrative spans from her mother's purchase of the house in 1961 through Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and its aftermath, documenting the experiences of Broom's twelve siblings and extended family within its walls. The Yellow House, winner of the 2019 National Book Award for Nonfiction, combines reporting, archival investigation, and personal narrative to examine larger questions about home, memory, and inheritance. This memoir stands as both a family history and a critical exploration of race, class, and urban development in American cities.

Readers describe The Yellow House as an intimate family memoir that illuminates New Orleans beyond the French Quarter tourist facade. The book resonates with readers who appreciate its exploration of place, class, and race in American cities. Readers appreciate: - Rich historical context about New Orleans East - Details about multiple generations of family life - Writing that brings locations and characters to life - Fresh perspective on Hurricane Katrina's impact Common criticisms: - Narrative jumps between time periods can be confusing - Some sections move slowly, especially in the middle - Too many family members to keep track of - Lack of photos to accompany descriptions Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (22,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (2,800+ ratings) One reader noted: "Broom captures the essence of home - both its comfort and its burden." Another wrote: "The nonlinear timeline required more concentration than expected, but the payoff was worth it."

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson Chronicles three families' migration stories from the American South, illuminating patterns of movement, displacement, and the search for home that echo through The Yellow House.

Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward Traces the lives and deaths of five young men in Mississippi, weaving personal history with place-based storytelling to examine race, poverty, and family bonds in the American South.

Heavy by Kiese Laymon Unfolds a Mississippi family narrative through the lens of a historic home, exploring inheritance, secrets, and the physical spaces that shape identity.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates Examines place, belonging, and family legacy through letters to his son, connecting personal history to broader American narratives of race and space.

Negroland by Margo Jefferson Maps the intersections of race, class, and identity through a family's navigation of Chicago's elite Black society, centered on specific homes and neighborhoods.

🏠 The Yellow House earned Sarah M. Broom the 2019 National Book Award for Nonfiction, making her the first New Orleans native to receive this prestigious honor. 📚 Broom spent 15 years researching and writing the book, conducting over 100 interviews and poring through historical records, family documents, and city archives. 🌪️ The yellow house that inspired the memoir was completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but had been home to Broom's family for over 50 years and sheltered 12 children. 🗺️ New Orleans East, where the house stood, was developed in the 1960s as a "New Frontier" for middle-class Black families, though it was deliberately isolated from the tourist-friendly parts of the city. 📝 Prior to writing her memoir, Broom worked as a journalist for publications like The New York Times Magazine and The New Yorker, and served as an editor at O, The Oprah Magazine.