A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler is the poignant story of four generations of the Whitshank family living in Baltimore. They are an ordinary family like any other, but they are also special in their own quirky ways. The members of the family love and care for each other, but they also harbor jealousies, rivalries, and carry secrets.

Red Whitshank runs the family business, Whitshank Construction. His wife, Abby, is a social worker, and they are the parents of four children. Their third child, Denny, is a frequent source of worry for them. Over the years he is in and out of trouble, holds various jobs, and is in numerous unsuccessful relationships. His visits and phone calls are sporadic.

Two stories are often repeated in the Whitshank family. The first is the story of Junior Whitshank, Red's father and the founder of Whitshank Construction.

Please note: This is an unofficial summary and analysis of the book and not the original book.

What you'll hear when you listen to this Instaread summary & analysis of A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler:

• Summary of entire book
• Introduction to the important people in the book
• Analysis of the themes and author's style

About the author With Instaread, you can get a summary and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, summarize it, and analyze it for your convenience.