Product Description

Set in a small town in the middle of England in the aftermath of World War II, this tells the story of ambitious industrialist Charles Freeman, his wife Mary, and their three children. Each individual plays their part as Britain claws its way from the grey austerity of the war years.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #264056 in Books
• Published on: 1998-04-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 656 pages

From the Back Cover
In a small town somewhere in the heart of England, the aftermath of the Second World War brings change. For ambitious and expansive industrialist Charles Freeman, it brings new opportunities and marriage to Mary. He buys the big house on the hill to cement their union and to nail his aspirations to the future.

In quick succession, three sons and a daughter bring life to the big house and with it, the seeds of joy and tragedy. As his children grow up, Charles' business expands in direct proportion to his girth as Britain claws its way from the grey austerity of the war years.

As times change, so do the family's fortunes for better and for worse, ebbing and flowing with the years. Their stories create a powerful and resonant epic, nothing less than the story of our lives.

About the Author
Tim Pears
Tim Pears was born in 1956. He grew up in Devon, and left school at sixteen. He has worked in a wide variety of jobs and is a graduate of the National Film and Television School. His first novel, In the Place of Fallen Leaves, won the Hawthornden Prize for Literature and the Ruth Hadden Memorial Award. His second novel, In a Land of Plenty, has been adapted for television and is now a major BBC television series. His third novel is A Revolution of the Sun.

Customer Reviews

The Best Book I've Ever Read!
I had my first encounter with this story when I saw the television adaptation around 5 years ago. This inspired me to read the book. Tim Pears is a fantastic author who incorporates all of the human emotions into his books, twisting many stories together into one so that you feel part of what is happening. I really reccommend that you read this book, just to experience true love and not the slushy stuff. Be warned though...have a box of tissues right next to you at all times!

wondefull
Having enjoyed the TV adaptation of this book so much, it was bought for me by a friend. The size initially put me off the book but having started it i soon found it hard to put down, and found myself reading it instead of revising for exams!!
At no point did i find the book boring or tiresome, i wanted to read on and on. The story is so engrossing and the description so vivid that you are taken on a magnificent journey. I found that having seen the adaptation on TV did not spoil the book as it had been so well represented by the directors ad cinematographers. The book is absolutely wonderfull and Pears describes so well, human emotions and reactions. He makes the good times so happy and te tragedies so heart wrenchingly sad, that it will make you cry.
Having read this book, i am now looking forward to reading Pears' others.
This is a book to buy straight away, but don't expect to get anything done before you have finished it.

Absolutely brilliant..
A warm, moving family chronicle which was difficult to put down after the first 50 or so scene- setting pages. One of the best books I have read. Usually I ignore the overly hyped reviews which publishers insert at the beginning of books but on this occasion I agreed with all the praise.