The Big House was built in 1903 by the author's great-great-grandfather, Ned Atkinson. It is now a century later and George Colt, with his wife, and young daughter and infant son have come to spend what may be their last summer in the family retreat on Wings Neck, Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts. The rambling eleven bedroom house is up for sale. Over the course of their stay George reminiscences about not only his experiences there growing up, but also the lives of his ancestors and how their experiences all entwined to contribute to the essence of "the big house" and the role it played in their lives. It is a thoughtful, historically informative, honest portrayal of several generations of "Boston Brahmin" culture. Anyone who grew up on the New England coast will probably find it especially good reading.