January 8, 2008

Oh, Reality?

“House Lust,” by Daniel McGinn

Your house is a very, very, very fine house — 650 square feet, but fine.

Although you wouldn’t mind a yard, two-car garage, and chef’s kitchen. 

Newsweek reporter Daniel McGinn explores our home obsession in House Lust, on shelves today. From stories of the couple who watches HGTV shows like sporting events to the therapist who specializes in counseling remodelers, House Lust is both stomach turning and fascinating.

You’ll roll your eyes at the Goldbergs, who don’t know how many bathrooms are in their 9,000-square-foot manse; give thanks you’re not Seth Herzog, who lives in a 175-square-foot NYC apartment; and get the urge to log on to real estate sites like realtor.com, which make buying property as easy as buying, well, a book.

Life used to be so hard.

Available at Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables (305-442-4408 or booksandbooks.com); online at amazon.com.