The Cazalet Chronicles, a series of five books: (The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion, Casting Off and All Change),
by Elizabeth Jane Howard. Published and republished over the years, available as a set on amazon.com.When I read an interview with Camilla, Prince Charles' wife, she mentioned that some of her favorite books were this series by Elizabeth Jane Howard. Then, I read that Hilary Mantel touted them, too. WHAT? I had never heard of the Cazalet Chronicles! So, I searched local libraries and no one had the complete set. I invested and started reading...then the 2020 pandemic hit. No worries, I have been in England in 1937-1950's all summer long with the Cazalet family!
Beginning in pre WWII years, The Brig and the Duchy have a holiday home in the countryside. Their three sons and their wives have an array of children and homes and readers learn their stories through the books. Quite the family saga, not everyone survives, not every marriage survives, and the children grow up and have their own stories. Tiny details about what life was like during WWII make the books believable and provide a look into the past. Of course, nothing went back to the same after the war. Houses had been bombed. Servants were basically gone. So the Cazalets adapted to the more freewheeling 1950's with zest. I can see why especially English women who lived through the times featured in all the books have picked up these stories and enjoy them fondly. Howard tells good stories, features interesting people, describes locales and places well, and makes time just fly by! Not a bad thing at all in a pandemic...
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