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It is 1926, and thirty-year-old Bill Kane is at a crossroads. Seven years after falling in love and marrying Mildred Read, the Chicago-born orphan is tired of sheep ranching for his father-in-law in desolate Oreana, Idaho and needs a change. Barely able to feed and clothe his five growing children, Bill spends their last dime on an electrician correspondence course and gets a job with Idaho Power. Hoping to rekindle the spark that seven years of hard work, poverty, and the demands of children have had on their once fairy tale marriage, Bill moves his family to Boise. Mildred's hopes of Bill finding faith and fulfillment in their new life are derailed, however, when he meets Sylvester, a cynical co-worker. The determined and often ill-tempered Bill must face his past as he struggles to find happiness and meaning in his life. Will Mildred's patience, loving ways and Mormon faith help the stubborn Bill discover the peace he is craving as they work through trials, heartache, and the Great Depression? Or will Sylvester succeed in convincing him that there is no God? The House by the River is the true story of a family's struggle for survival and one man's journey to understand himself and the purpose of life.
