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The Sugarhouse

by Donald O'Donovan

Autobiographical coming-of- age tale of five working class boys in the historic village of Cooperstown New York. The story centers around a local brothel called the Sugarhouse, operated by Ma Rutledge, the Maple Sugar Madam, and her two saucy, bovine daughters, Bertha and Emma.“The happiest times at the Sugarhouse came when Ma Rutledge was making maple syrup. During these sap-boiling days the sugary breath of the candy kitchen penetrated everywhere. The beds of the girls were saturated with sweetness. A roll in the hay with Emma or Bertha was like rolling in pastry flour.”But there’s trouble in paradise.A new girl arrives at the Sugarhouse, Belle Saint Marie, “a dusky Cajun princess with snapping black eyes and a body no man could ever forget once he'd seen it.” A lovers’ triangle develops, with tragic consequences for local hayshaker Paul Greenfield. “Guy DeWolfe and Belle Saint Marie were cut from the same cloth. That was obvious to everyone. The two of them were full of caye

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Mar 26, 2025 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. Episode Five

    A new girl arrives at the Sugarhouse, Belle Saint Marie, "a dusky Cajun princess with snapping black eyes and a body no man could ever forget once he'd seen it." A lovers' triangle develops, with tragic consequences for local hayshaker Paul Greenfield. The villagers elect a new mayor who fires…

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  2. Episode Four

    The five boys turn 17 and start going to the Sugarhouse "to get some sugar." They get jobs working for the Otsego County Highway Department, and hang out at the Glimmerglass and the Oaksville Hotel. Donny catches the Monster of Eel Pond, a giant fish coveted for years by locals.

  3. Episode Three

    Three years later. Donny begins playing hockey on frozen Otsego Lake with Turk and three other boys who become his closest friends, Wes Cameron, Frank Finocchio and Willy One-Nut. One night the boys skate down a frozen creek that flows past the Sugarhouse. Attracted by music and whooping laughter...

  4. Episode Two

    The boys arrive at Natty Bumppo's Cave, are caught in a thunderstorm and spend the night in the cave. In the morning they hike on into town and are greeted with a hero's welcome. The next day, Turk, Donny and Billy walk downtown for a malted milkshake at Withey's Drugstore. They pass the...

  5. Episode One

    Cooperstown New York, Vietnam Era. The Sugarhouse. We meet Ma Rutledge, the Maple Sugar Madam, her daughters, Bertha and Emma, Bill Rassmussen the town cop, Teddy Granger the singing taxi driver, and hero-narrator Donald O'Donovan. Ten years earlier. Donny and his best friend Turk Monahan, eight...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Autobiographical coming-of- age tale of five working class boys in the historic village of Cooperstown New York. The story centers around a local brothel called the Sugarhouse, operated by Ma Rutledge, the Maple Sugar Madam, and her two saucy, bovine daughters, Bertha and Emma.“The happiest times at the Sugarhouse came when Ma Rutledge was making maple syrup. During these sap-boiling days the sugary breath of the candy kitchen penetrated everywhere. The beds of the girls were saturated with sweetness. A roll in the hay with Emma or Bertha was like rolling in pastry flour.”But there’s trouble in paradise.A new girl arrives at the Sugarhouse, Belle Saint Marie, “a dusky Cajun princess with snapping black eyes and a body no man could ever forget once he'd seen it.” A lovers’ triangle develops, with tragic consequences for local hayshaker Paul Greenfield. “Guy DeWolfe and Belle Saint Marie were cut from the same cloth. That was obvious to everyone. The two of them were full of caye

HOSTED BY

Donald O'Donovan

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The Sugarhouse have?

The Sugarhouse currently has 5 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The Sugarhouse about?

Autobiographical coming-of- age tale of five working class boys in the historic village of Cooperstown New York. The story centers around a local brothel called the Sugarhouse, operated by Ma Rutledge, the Maple Sugar Madam, and her two saucy, bovine daughters, Bertha and Emma.“The happiest times...

How often does The Sugarhouse release new episodes?

The Sugarhouse has 5 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to The Sugarhouse?

You can listen to The Sugarhouse on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts The Sugarhouse?

The Sugarhouse is created and hosted by Donald O'Donovan.
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