I knew we were going to visit The House on Seven Gables in Salem, MA so I made sure to read the book.
I was the only one on the tour, and according to the tour guide, one of the few at all, who read the book. I can’t blame them, while there are sparks of genius in it, it’s tedious to modern readers.
The house itself is very nice, located right on the water with beautiful furniture, grounds, and gardens. The tour guide was professional, informative, friendly, and very accommodating to anyone with disabilities.
It seems that the book was so successful, that the occupants of the house made it look like Nathaniel Hawthorne imagined it to be. They set up a shop, as well as built a hidden staircase that didn’t exist, yet was a major plot point in the book.
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As I mentioned before, reading the book is not necessary to tour the house. However, I felt that reading The House on Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne,I enjoyed the tour much more (they are both on the same ticket, by the way).
Along with the House of the Seven Gables, one can visit Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace. The house has been moved to its current location, it is located in the same area with a view of the harbor. The house is very interesting as well, actually a bit more interesting, I felt, than its more famous neighbor. There are actual Hawthorne family artifacts, pictures, furniture, a writing desk (of course), and more.
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