House of Sand and FogHouse of Sand and Fog
Score Modern
What it's about
Kathy Nicolo, a recovering addict in California, is evicted from her small house over a tax she didn't owe. The house is sold at auction to Massoud Behrani, a former colonel in the Shah's air force, now working on road crews, who sees it as his family's way back to dignity. Neither will give it up, and a sheriff's deputy who falls for Kathy makes things worse.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Award finalist and an Oprah's Book Club pick, and the film starred Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly. It's a tragedy in which everyone is sympathetic and no one gives way.
You'll love it if you liked
Revolutionary Road
The Vanishing Half
An American MarriageGood to know
The ending is devastating, with suicide and death.
By the numbers
- Readers19 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller27 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1450 of the 1,648 modern books we rank
- #2731 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is House of Sand and Fog worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Award finalist and an Oprah's Book Club pick, and the film starred Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly. It ranks #2,731 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 57.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is House of Sand and Fog about?
Kathy Nicolo, a recovering addict in California, is evicted from her small house over a tax she didn't owe. The house is sold at auction to Massoud Behrani, a former colonel in the Shah's air force, now working on road crews, who sees it as his family's way back to dignity. Neither will give it up, and a sheriff's deputy who falls for Kathy makes things worse.
How long does it take to read House of Sand and Fog?
About 9 hours (365 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after House of Sand and Fog?
If you liked it, try Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett or An American Marriage by Tayari Jones.