The Light Years

In this modern classic of twentieth-century English life, the first in the beloved Cazalet Chronicles, a family gathers for the summer of 1937 at their country manor house, setting in motion events that will reverberate through generations.

Every summer, the Cazalet brothers--Hugh, Edward and Rupert--return to the family home in the heart of the English countryside with their wives and children. There, they join their formidable parents and unmarried sister Rachel to enjoy two glorious months of picnics, games, and sun-drenched excursions to the coast. But not even this idyllic setting can soothe each family member's heartache, fears, and loneliness.

Hugh, haunted by memories of the Great War, is terrified at the looming prospect of more violence in Europe. Edward, charming and handsome, is torn between his wife, Villy, and his latest infidelity, while Villy dreads the tedium of domestic life after her former career as a dancer. Rupert, a talented painter, is in turmoil over his inability to please his demanding new wife, Zoe, while staying true to his artistic dreams. Meanwhile, Rachel's unflinching loyalty to the family means risking her one chance at happiness, with the woman she feels so passionately about...

An extraordinary saga, both intimate and sweeping in scope, The Light Years introduces an unforgettable cast of characters.

Elizabeth Jane Howard (1923-2014) was the author of fifteen highly acclaimed novels and a memoir. The Cazalet Chronicles-- The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion, Casting Off, and All Change --have become established as modern classics and have been adapted for a major series and for BBC Radio 4. In 2002, Howard was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.