Joy Williams, Winner of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, reads her story “The Beach House.” Topics include family memories, disownment, discussions about fudge and worker aprons, donating the Beach House, impending death, and struggling to make ends meet.
Amber's father plans to leave the beach house to a German shepherd rescue organization, leaving her feeling betrayed and uncertain about her future.
Amber and her friend Janine discuss the financial struggles of their generation, reflecting on the burden of financial responsibility and the diminishing possibility of inheriting wealth.
Deep dives
The protagonist hopes to inherit her father's beach house but is unsure if he will leave it to her or to an organization that rescues German shepherds.
The protagonist, Amber, is counting on inheriting her father's beach house, but her father has told her that he plans to leave it to an organization that rescues German shepherds instead. Amber questions whether this is just a joke and suspects that the organization may be fraudulent. She argues with her father over the decision and recalls memories of her childhood at the beach house. She contemplates the prospect of being homeless without it.
Amber's relationships and financial struggles mirror those of her friend Janine.
Amber discusses her financial struggles with her friend Janine, whose mother took out a reverse mortgage and exhausted the funds, leaving Janine with nothing. They reflect on the changing times and the burden of financial responsibility. Both women express the desire to be able to live their lives without worrying about financial stability. They reflect on the fact that their parents' generation was able to pass down wealth, but that no longer seems to be the case for them.
Amber's father's health deteriorates, and she grapples with his strange and sometimes nonsensical behavior.
Amber's father's condition worsens, and he begins experiencing physical and mental decline. His behavior becomes increasingly bizarre and nonsensical. He talks about disinheritance, an organization for abandoned German shepherds, and various memories that may or may not be real. Amber finds it challenging to communicate with him and struggles to understand his intentions and decisions. She contemplates taking him to the hospital but ultimately decides to stay with him at home.
Joy Williams reads her story “The Beach House,” from the January 15, 2024, issue of the magazine. Williams, a winner of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, is the author of five story collections, including “Ninety-Nine Stories of God” and “The Visiting Privilege: New and Collected Stories,” and five novels, such as “Harrow,” which was published in 2021.