{"product_id":"9780743262323","title":"Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eMr. Blandings Builds His Dream House\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Eric Hodgins\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe classic tale of leaving the city and building a house in the country, only to find country life isn't so simple. But it is hilarious. \u003cbr\u003e Mr. Blandings, a successful New York advertising executive, and his wife want to escape the confines of their tiny midtown apartment. They design the perfect home in the idyllic country, but soon they are beset by construction troubles, temperamental workmen, skyrocketing bills, threatening lawyers, and difficult neighbors. Mr. Blandings' dream house soon threatens to be the nightmare that undoes him. \u003cbr\u003e This internationally bestselling book by Eric Hodgins is illustrated by William Steig and was made into a film starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy -- and a later film starring Tom Hanks called \u003ci\u003eThe Money Pit.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\"No ordinary jokesmith, Mr. Hodgins is light and expert.\"\u003cbr\u003e -- \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Anyone thinking of buying a home in the country (and who isn't?) should read this book for its practical lessons in real-estate values...the theme of unforeseen costs is sufficiently familiar to everyone to evoke nods of sympathy and smiles of understanding, especially when Mr. Blandings, in a fitting climax, faced a damage suit for intimating that one of his earlier architects had shown poor taste.\"\u003cbr\u003e -- \u003ci\u003eThe Christian Science Monitor\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Mr. Blandings' skinning by real-estate men, architects, contractors, and plumbers should provide the reader with a lot of sadistic satisfaction, if it isn't too uncomfortably reminiscent.\"\u003cbr\u003e -- \u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9780743262323\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40589957562574,"sku":"9780743262323","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/O_5d0c20fb-faa9-47d5-a95e-2d883841e564.jpg?v=1637728000","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9780743262323","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}