The Skinny House of Mamaroneck
Nathan Seely was one of the first African American homebuilders in New York. He was the architect of the famed Skinny House built in Mamaroneck during the Great Depression.
Nathan established Seely Bros Inc in 1925 with his brother, Willard, and together they would build a successful construction company in Mamaroneck... until they had the carpet yanked out from under them. This is his untold story....
See the Skinny House featured during the 2020 U.S. Open in West Chester County:
The Author
Julie Seely is the granddaughter of Nathan Seely, a black carpenter who built a famous 10-ft-wide skinny house on the National Register of Historic Places. An author and screenwriter, Julie transitioned from writing health educational materials for women in the early 2000s…
Reviews
“The multilayered nature of the narrative is alluring. It's not just the story of Seely's family, but includes her own account of resurrecting the family history. The threads of these stories are well balanced. Seely's narrative voice is elegant, and her book is well paced and full of vibrant energy. Each character is crafted with empathy and clear-eyed honesty” (read more…)
—Foreword Clarion Reviews (5/5 stars)
“Not only has Julie L. Seely written an elegant, heartfelt family memoir, but she also offers a vivid slice of 20th-century African-American history in her book, Skinny House: A Memoir of Family.
As Seely traces her family’s ups and downs through the Roaring Twenties, Depression and Civil Rights eras, her extensive research and insightful rendering make the tale eminently relatable. Her deft writing and diligent research give this flawless work a weightiness and impact that won’t soon leave readers.”
—BlueInk Review
“A great read for historians that will also appeal to anyone who enjoys a first-rate family saga.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“Readers who might have anticipated a narrow vision from this narrow little house’s life history receive instead a sweeping saga of various social, economic, and family psychological issues that make for thoroughly engrossing, thought-provoking reading.”
– D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
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