Light Years
by Elizabeth Howard
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Pub Date Apr 26 2016 | Archive Date Jun 21 2016
Description
In the tradition of Evelyn Waugh and E. M. Forster, the first book in this critically acclaimed multigenerational saga about an upper-middle-class family in Britain before, during, and after World War II recreates a vanished world
As war clouds gather on the distant horizon, Hugh, Edward, and Rupert Cazalet, along with their wives, children, and loyal servants, prepare to leave London for their annual pilgrimage to the family’s Sussex estate. There, they will join their parents, William and Kitty, and sister, Rachel, at Home Place, the sprawling retreat where the three brothers hope to spend an idyllic summer of years gone by. But the First World War has left indelible scars.
Hugh, the eldest of his siblings, was wounded in France and is haunted both by recurring nightmares of battle and the prospect of another war. Edward adores his wife, Villy, a former dancer searching for meaning in life, yet he’s incapable of remaining faithful to her. Rupert desires only to fulfill his potential as a painter, but finds that love and art cannot coexist. And devoted daughter Rachel discovers the joys—and limitations—of intimacy with another woman.
A candid portrait of British life in the late 1930s and a sweeping depiction of a world on the brink of war, The Light Years is a must-read for fans of Downton Abbey. Three generations of the Cazalet family come to unforgettable dramatic life in this saga about England during the last century—and the long-held values and cherished traditions that would soon disappear forever.
As war clouds gather on the distant horizon, Hugh, Edward, and Rupert Cazalet, along with their wives, children, and loyal servants, prepare to leave London for their annual pilgrimage to the family’s Sussex estate. There, they will join their parents, William and Kitty, and sister, Rachel, at Home Place, the sprawling retreat where the three brothers hope to spend an idyllic summer of years gone by. But the First World War has left indelible scars.
Hugh, the eldest of his siblings, was wounded in France and is haunted both by recurring nightmares of battle and the prospect of another war. Edward adores his wife, Villy, a former dancer searching for meaning in life, yet he’s incapable of remaining faithful to her. Rupert desires only to fulfill his potential as a painter, but finds that love and art cannot coexist. And devoted daughter Rachel discovers the joys—and limitations—of intimacy with another woman.
A candid portrait of British life in the late 1930s and a sweeping depiction of a world on the brink of war, The Light Years is a must-read for fans of Downton Abbey. Three generations of the Cazalet family come to unforgettable dramatic life in this saga about England during the last century—and the long-held values and cherished traditions that would soon disappear forever.
Advance Praise
“A dazzling historical reconstruction.” —Booker Prize–winning author Penelope Fitzgerald
“Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny.” —The Spectator
“Charming.” —Publishers Weekly
“Well-written . . . considerable literary talent. Recommended.” —Library Journal
“Vivid and compulsively readable.” —TheSunday Telegraph
“The creation of a vanished historical world . . . engrossing.” —The Village Voice
“Howard’s description of 1937’s everyday life and issues is as addictive as a mystery to be solved. The Light Years is the perfect mix between Mrs. Dalloway and Downton Abbey.” —Books and Reviews
Praise for the Cazalet Chronicles
“Charming, poignant, and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared.” —The Times (London) on Marking Time
“Evocative and gracefully written.” —Cosmopolitan on Marking Time
“What the Cazalets had on their side was the strength of Howard’s characterisation and her canny blend of sympathy and curiosity.” —The Guardian on All Change
Praise for Elizabeth Jane Howard
“[Howard] is one of those novelists who shows . . . what the novel is for. . . . She helps us to . . . open our eyes and our hearts.” —Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall and Bringing Up the Bodies
“Polished, stylish, and civilized.” —Booker Prize–winning author Julian Barnes on Mr. Wrong
“Superb . . . hypnotic . . . very funny.” —The Spectator
“Charming.” —Publishers Weekly
“Well-written . . . considerable literary talent. Recommended.” —Library Journal
“Vivid and compulsively readable.” —TheSunday Telegraph
“The creation of a vanished historical world . . . engrossing.” —The Village Voice
“Howard’s description of 1937’s everyday life and issues is as addictive as a mystery to be solved. The Light Years is the perfect mix between Mrs. Dalloway and Downton Abbey.” —Books and Reviews
Praise for the Cazalet Chronicles
“Charming, poignant, and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared.” —The Times (London) on Marking Time
“Evocative and gracefully written.” —Cosmopolitan on Marking Time
“What the Cazalets had on their side was the strength of Howard’s characterisation and her canny blend of sympathy and curiosity.” —The Guardian on All Change
Praise for Elizabeth Jane Howard
“[Howard] is one of those novelists who shows . . . what the novel is for. . . . She helps us to . . . open our eyes and our hearts.” —Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall and Bringing Up the Bodies
“Polished, stylish, and civilized.” —Booker Prize–winning author Julian Barnes on Mr. Wrong
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781504034913 |
PRICE | $0.00 (USD) |