Our Story Of Home: Tales of Longing and Belonging

In Our Story of Home, Valerie Andrews explores how this intimate space has inspired some of the world’s greatest storytellers—from Jane Austen and Herman Melville to Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, John O’Donohue, and Mary Oliver. She also delves into the deep psychology of home, showing how our earliest experiences shape lifelong patterns of intimacy and belonging.

Drawing on Jung’s retreat at Bollingen as a mirror of his inner world, Andrews invites us to consider how the soul of home is formed by household gods, age-old crafts, animals, food, and music. These elements are not mere adornments but living presences that support our inner lives.

As architects begin designing homes underground and underwater, and as AI technologies encroach upon our most personal spaces, how will our sense of home evolve? Andrews calls for a return to the virtues of analog life, champions Slow Housekeeping and encourages us to view our household objects as sentient, soulful companions. A true home, she says, must continue to engage the senses and spark creativity—and also serve as a sanctuary in uncertain times.

Each chapter of this book includes writing prompts to help readers uncover and share their own story of home.