The Boarding House
An Anthology by Mitt Yelrub
Overview
The book is a collection of interconnected, memory‑rich stories narrated by the owner of a small‑town boarding house—a place where everyday life, eccentric locals, long‑term boarders, and passing travelers mix into a tapestry of humor, nostalgia, and gentle mystery.
At its core, the boarding house is less a business and more a crossroads of human experience. The narrator and his wife run the historic 1830s home at 78 East Main Street, a place described with warm detail— “the banister to the stair and the stair treads are the original black walnut, which is oiled and polished to a brilliance”—and filled with antique furniture, creaking floors, and the occasional rumor of ghosts.
Central Themes
Small‑town life, the town’s bars, creek, and cast of regulars form a lively backdrop for friendship and storytelling; boarders and locals gather in the bar, on the porch, or along the creek, sharing tales that blur truth and embellishment. The stories explore humor and human nature from the perspective of a narrator whose dry wit colors every anecdote, especially when describing his own shortcomings or the quirks of his guests, and memory and nostalgia with stories celebrate the charm of ordinary moments and the people who pass through them.
Structure
The book unfolds as a series of vignettes—each chapter a standalone story, yet all tied to the boarding house and its community. Characters recur, deepen, and reveal themselves through shared experiences: fishing trips, holiday mishaps, odd encounters, and quiet reflections.
Sample Story: “Christmas”
One of the most memorable chapters recounts a holiday misunderstanding triggered by what the narrator calls “the flutter of the butterfly.” Eli, a charismatic boarder, calls to ask what sweater size Dave wears— “he recalled Dave being cold and thought he would get him a sweater for Christmas”—which sets off a chain reaction. The locals panic, realizing they haven’t bought gifts for each other or Eli, and scramble to fix the imbalance. Their improvised gift exchange becomes a hilarious, heartfelt evening… until Eli unexpectedly leaves town the next morning without giving any gifts at all. The moment is classic Yelrub: warm, funny, and tinged with the gentle absurdity of human expectations.
Back Cover Blurb
The Boarding House is not a plot‑driven novel but a character‑driven mosaic. It celebrates community, the beauty of everyday life, and the way small moments become lasting memories. The book reads like sitting on a porch with an old friend—stories told with charm, self‑deprecation, and a storyteller’s instinct for embellishment. As the narrator says early on: “There is no story worth telling that cannot be improved upon.” Readers come away feeling they’ve visited a real place, met real people, and shared in the narrator’s affection for the world he inhabits.
Author’s Note
The Boarding House is available at retail platforms including Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes&Noble, and Books-A-Million.