Books like Arcadia by Lauren Groff
Set in the 1970s fields of western New York, Arcadia chronicles the rise and fall of a communal experiment founded on the grounds of a decaying mansion known as Arcadia House. The community is led by Handy, a charismatic idealist, and his midwife wife Astrid. Among the residents are Abe, a master carpenter; Hannah, a baker and historian; and their son Bit. As the commune grows from hopeful beginnings to its heyday, Bit matures and falls in love with Helle, Handy’s daughter. The story follows the commune’s internal dynamics, the intimate lives of its members, and Bit’s eventual confrontation with the broader world beyond Arcadia.
First publish date: 2012
Genre: Coming of Age/Childhood Coming of Age
Authors: Lauren Groff
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