The Slate family’s rambling colonial house just outside of Boston may be haunted, but it’s definitely full of surprises. Kitchen and bedrooms, yard and garden – all trigger memories from brilliant actress and comedian Jenny Slate and her father, renowned poet and essayist Ron Slate. In About the House, the Slates share their family stories, memories, quirks, and confessions in a singular collection of stories, essays, and poems that range from profound to profane.

Remarkably touching, often hilarious, and unfailingly human, this unusual father-daughter dialogue takes a look at family like no other work since . . . well, since nothing else. Because there really is no other book like About the House. Beautifully illustrated by KARL STEVENS (Boston Phoenix, Village Voice). 

Jenny Slate is an actress, stand-up comedian, and New York Times bestselling children’s author (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On).

Ron Slate is the author of two poetry collections, The Incentive of the Maggot and The Great Wave. He reviews books On the Seawall. 

Karl Stevens is an award-winning cartoonist (Boston Phoenix, Village Voice) and author of the graphic novels Guilty, Whatever, and The Lodger.

Articles, Reviews, and Interviews

Atelier Doré interviews Jenny Slate about ABOUT THE HOUSE and much much more.

The Boston Globe features About the House and the Concord Free Press on its cover.

 Ailsa Chang interviews Ron and Jenny Slate on NPR/Weekend Edition.

"It’s not often that a celebrity publishes a book without a grand marketing plan – but actress and comedian Jenny Slate isn’t your average celebrity. Slate, along with her father, poet Ron Slate, quietly wrote and published a charming, funny book called About the House with the Concord Free Press."
– Entertainment Weekly

"You may know Jenny Slate from her comedy shows or indie films, but now you can hear the comedian and actress in a different medium: through the written word."
– Boston Globe 

"The Slates wrote this book to inspire kindness."
– Boston Magazine 

"This book just asks a simple thing, which is to take in new information, join the world again and then look around and see what you think could use a little help."
– Jenny Slate, joint interview with The Frame, KPCC Los Angeles