Product Description
The Forsyte Saga, Volume III.: Awakening; To Let is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by John Galsworthy is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of John Galsworthy then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

End of the Chapter Novel
Since I thoroughly enjoy the English novelists this is a welcome addition to my collection.I am midway through the book and it is so well written.John Galsworthy is so worth reading. ... Read more

Product Description
In this final volume of "The Forsyte Saga", Galsworthy writes about the lives and loves of the Cherrell family, cousins of the Forsytes. For centuries, the Cherrell sons have left their home of Condaford Grange to serve the state as soldiers, clergymen and administrators, but the 1930s bring uncertainty in a world of rapidly altering morals and unemployment. Galsworthy's portrayal of the effect of political change on individuals show him as a great social novelist as well as the author of one of the most gripping family sagas ever written. ... Read more

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The three novels which make up The Forsyte Saga chronicle the ebbing social power of the commercial upper-middle class Forsyte family between 1886 and 1920. Galsworthy's masterly narrative examines not only their fortunes but also the wider developments within society, particularly the changing position of women. This is the only critical edition of the work available, with Notes that explain contemporary artistic and literary allusions and define the slang of the time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Galsworthy's whole opus.
John Galsworthy (never "Sir John" only by his own choice, though he did accept the Order of Merit), one of the notable British writers of the first quarter of the 20th century, has subsequently faded somewhat from the canon of British writers in the 20th century, despite his winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932.Galsworthy was a very traditional Victorian/Edwardian writer in his style, despite making his books social criticisms of Victorian/Edwardian values; his best work coincided with the rise of artistic modernism, which has tended to overshadow his more traditional approach."The Forsyte Saga", a collection of three novels linked by two short stories, is Galsworthy's magnum opus, and has been twice adapted by the BBC into major miniseries (first and most famously in 1967, and again in 2002); it has lingered moreso in the public consciousness than its author.This large volume collects the entirety of the original quintology (some spoilers follow).

The first (and, originally planned to be the only) novel in the series, "The Man of Property", was published in 1906, and set in the high Victorian period, focussing on the Forsyte family, the numerous long-lived sons and daughters of Jolyon 'Superior Dorset' Forsyte, and their own descendants.There is Old Jolyon ('Superior''s eldest son), who has estranged himself from his son Young Jolyon for the latter's scandalous affair, and has raised his daughter June, who is engaged to an architect; and Soames Forsyte, the son of Jolyon's brother James, who is married to Irene, and commissions the architect to build a house that he hopes will help revive the passion in his relationship with Irene.

Galsworthy's twin focuses, which carry on through the whole series, are the strictures of Victorian values of commerce and proper behaviour (which particularly impact the two Jolyons), and the subordinate legal position of women in society (though the ridiculous divorce laws also hamstring men, as we later see). These carry on through the subsequent novels, published more than a decade after, and the two short stories (the second short story, "Awakenings", is honestly pretty throwaway, but "Indian Summer of a Forsyte" is lovely). Galsworthy's writing style is eminently restrained; Soames' decision to force himself on his wife Irene near the climax of the first novel is only described briefly in a single paragraph, and the nature of this act is never verbalized (or even narrated) by anyone for almost the entire remainder of the trilogy, even though it is absolutely essential to understanding what's going on.Stiff upper lip, indeed.The characterization really sells the story; the plots are frequently not anything to write home about (the third novel even opens with a quote from "Romeo and Juliet", which would tell people in fair detail how the entire main storyline will play out, until the very end, which is more muted).

Recommended.

Beautiful
Very readable and enjoyable. Really loved it but i don't know if i could continue with the other books in the saga. It was also so informative about that time period (around the Boer War) and the upper social class in England.

Amazing
The one of my favorite books of all times!!!
I read it 20 years ago and now again, it is still as beautiful!!!! Classy and elegant.

Detailed depiction of an early Twentieth century upper class British family
As stated in other reviews, "The Forsyte Saga" actually consists of three books and two short stories (or "interludes" since they are placed in between the novels).Written over a span of more than 20 years, it makes for a rather lengthy work (850 pages).I was indeed grateful for the inclusion of a family tree, because there are numerous Forstyes and their spouses to keep track of.Galsworthy writes in a highly detailed manner such as when describing a character's furniture or garden.In fact, if I could make one criticism, at times, I think each of these books dragged because Galsworthy became too bogged down on some meticulous description of plant life or the like.Sometimes the reader just wants the action (Anthony Trollope, I think, had a better sense of proportion regarding driving plot as opposed to describing surroundings).

Nevertheless, I would still call "The Forsyte Saga" classic British literature because of the author's prodigious skill in creating characters together with the details that surround their lives.Obviously, Galsworthy had some central themes on his mind, especially the never ending struggle between wealth and property verses art and beauty.Or, if you will, realism verses idealism.Galsworthy is no naif though: he understands that without benefactors art can't survive.He also has some rather strong views about art itself - for instance, he mocks much of modern art (through the "lame ducks" of June).But the representatives of the central struggle are Irene/Joylon/Jon vs. Soames/James/Fleur.With Soames, we have, perhaps, one of the most memorable characters in all of English literature.

I found some of the characters a bit unrealistic and dry (to compare with Trollope again, the latter had a much better sense of humour).As far as specific plot complaints, I can almost guarantee that a person like Irene would not be happy with Jolyon, nor make such a good loving mother.The relationship between Irene and her son Jon was a bit too Freudian for my tastes.Plus, in the most dramatic section of the saga, the final novel, I kind of thought that Jon, someone whom I think the author wants us to admire, becomes the quitessential milksop.But, overall, if you, like me, enjoy 19th and early 20th century English Literature, I highly recommend "The Forsyte Saga."

A man of no property
Family secrets, dirty little problems, gambling, divorce, illegitimate babies and a dash of adultery, scandal and forbidden love. Soap opera?

Not exactly. It's Nobel Prize Winner John Galsworthy's sprawling family epic "The Forsyte Saga," a three-volume saga that spans the nouveau riche Forsyte clan, and the devastating events that threaten their ever-respectable facade. Galsworthy's lush writing and intricate, insightful stories are excellent on their own, but the dignified handling of 19th-century laws and mores -- and how they changed -- add an extra dimension to his writing.

While it has a distinctly soapy flavor, "Saga" retains its dignity and look at turn-of-the-century mores and society.

The Forsyte family is determinedly regal and hard-nosed, almost to the point of a fault. And as the story begins, the Forsyte family has come together to celebrate June Forsyte's engagement to a young bohemian architect, Philip Bosinney -- except for June's father, who eloped with the governess and is now shunned by his family.

Among the guests are the stuffy, domineering Soames Forsyte and his quiet, unhappy wife Irene -- though she conditionally agreed to marry him, she doesn't love him. But Soames regards Irene as his most valuable piece of property, even as she begins an ill-fated affair with Bosinney. At the same time, the patriarch Jolyon starts to kick off family disapproval, and goes to see his estranged son.

Soames' determination to "own" Irene leads to tragedy for all three of them, and Irene and Soames separate for the next decade. But when Soames demands a divorce so he can marry a French girl, he finds himself obsessed and stalking Irene once again. And as before, Soames' harassment drives his estranged wife into the arms of another man -- his disgraced cousin Young Jolyon. And even as Soames gains a new woman, he finds that you don't get everything you want...

A new complication enters the works almost two decades later -- Soames' daughter Fleur is immediately attracted to Irene's son Jon. The two start an innocent romance, unaware of their parents' past together, but still overshadowed by the loathing and shame Soames and Irene have for each other. An aristocratic suitor for Fleur, mysterious letters and a secret love affair all come to the surface, as Fleur and Jon discover that love isn't always enough to overcome the bitterness of the past...

The Forsyte Saga is indeed a saga -- it stretches from the stuffy Victorian era into the first bloom of the roaring twenties. Despite the early claim that Forsytes would never die, various characters age, die and weave new lives for themselves, and grapple with a rapidly changing world -- including the new rights for women as individuals, rather than "property."

The first part was written in a time before the world of England's upper crust changed forever -- sort of an English "Age of Innocence." And while Galsworthy's first trilogy can be seen as the story of an obsession, it can also be seen as the portrait of the Forsytes overall -- stuffy, gilded, and eager to forget the working class roots a few generations back.

Galsworthy paints this time in a flurry of lush, dignified prose , filled with slightly mocking notes about the Forsyte family, and tiny gestures and expressions that convey more than actual dialogue could ("Huddled in her grey fur against the sofa cushions, she had a strange resemblance to a captive owl") and lushly written descriptives ("... over the lush grass fell the thick shade from those fruit trees planted by her father five-and-twenty years ago").

Yet there are touching moments too, like Old Jolyon paying a visit to his estranged son and his lower-class second wife, and the grandchildren he has never met. The awkwardness, love and pain in these scenes is truly astounding.

As for the main characters of this drama, Galsworthy handles their passions and involvements delicately and with dignity. No soap opera dramatics -- just a married woman in love with her best pal's fiance, and who is raped by her angry husband. And then a realist's version of "Romeo and Juliet," if Romeo and Juliet's parents were exes and no suicides came into it.

Soames and Irene are really at the center of this book -- she remote, quiet and something of a mystery even to the readers, and he a selfish, close-minded man who wants to "own" people. Their children are far more endearing -- Fleur is passionate and vivacious, and Jon is sensitive and sweet. But there's a vast cast of interesting characters in the Forsyte family, especially melancholy Young Jolyon and his artistic daughter June.

Bitterness, obsession and love fill the pages of the "Forsye Saga," and provide the start of a truly classic trilogy of great novels. ... Read more

Product Description
Strife is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by John Galsworthy is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of John Galsworthy then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
The Forsyte Saga, Volume II.:Indian Summer of a Forsyte; In Chancery is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by John Galsworthy is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of John Galsworthy then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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In this second part of John Galworthy's trilogy of love, power, money and family feuding, a new generation has arrived to divide the Forsyte clan with society scandals and conflicting passions. ... Read more

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The Forsyte Saga, Volume I.: The Man Of Property is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by John Galsworthy is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of John Galsworthy then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Galsworthy's nine Forsyte novels span 50 years of family decline, from the 1880s to the 1930s. In seeking to insulate themselves by property from reality and the disintegration of their class, the Forsytes are gradually blinded to the threats of social change and "the stealthy march of passion". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A man of no property
Family secrets, dirty little problems, gambling, divorce, illegitimate babies and a dash of adultery, scandal and forbidden love. Soap opera?

Not exactly. It's Nobel Prize Winner John Galsworthy's sprawling family epic "The Forsyte Saga," a three-volume saga that spans the nouveau riche Forsyte clan, and the devastating events that threaten their ever-respectable facade. Galsworthy's lush writing and intricate, insightful stories are excellent on their own, but the dignified handling of 19th-century laws and mores -- and how they changed -- add an extra dimension to his writing.

The Forsyte family is determinedly regal and hard-nosed, almost to the point of a fault. And as the story begins, the Forsyte family has come together to celebrate June Forsyte's engagement to a young bohemian architect, Philip Bosinney -- except for June's father, who eloped with the governess and is now shunned by his family.Among the guests are the stuffy, domineering Soames Forsyte and his wife Irene -- though she conditionally agreed to marry him, she doesn't love him.

But Soames regards Irene as his most valuable piece of property, even as she begins an ill-fated affair with Bosinney. At the same time, the patriarch Jolyon starts to kick off family disapproval, and goes to see his estranged son. Soames' determination to "own" Irene leads to tragedy for all three of them, and Irene and Soames separate for the next decade. But when Soames demands a divorce so he can marry a French girl, he finds himself obsessed and stalking Irene once again. And as before, Soames' harassment drives his estranged wife into the arms of another man -- his disgraced cousin Young Jolyon.

A new complication enters the works almost two decades later -- Soames' daughter Fleur is immediately attracted to Irene's son Jon. The two start an innocent romance, unaware of their parents' past together, but still overshadowed by the loathing and shame Soames and Irene have for each other. An aristocratic suitor for Fleur, mysterious letters and a secret love affair all come to the surface, as Fleur and Jon discover that love isn't always enough to overcome the bitterness of the past...

The Forsyte Saga is indeed a saga -- it stretches from the stuffy Victorian era into the first bloom of the roaring twenties. Despite the early claim that Forsytes would never die, various characters age, die and weave new lives for themselves, and grapple with a rapidly changing world -- including the new rights for women as individuals, rather than "property."

The first part was written in a time before the world of England's upper crust changed forever -- sort of an English "Age of Innocence." And while Galsworthy's first trilogy can be seen as the story of an obsession, it can also be seen as the portrait of the Forsytes overall -- stuffy, gilded, and eager to forget the working class roots a few generations back.

Galsworthy paints this time in a flurry of lush, dignified prose , filled with slightly mocking notes about the Forsyte family, and tiny gestures and expressions that convey more than actual dialogue could ("Huddled in her grey fur against the sofa cushions, she had a strange resemblance to a captive owl") and lushly written descriptives ("... over the lush grass fell the thick shade from those fruit trees planted by her father five-and-twenty years ago").Yet there are touching moments too, like Old Jolyon paying a visit to his estranged son and his lower-class second wife, and the grandchildren he has never met. The awkwardness, love and pain in these scenes is truly astounding.

As for the main characters of this drama, Galsworthy handles their passions and involvements delicately and with dignity.Soames and Irene are really at the center of this book -- she remote, quiet and something of a mystery even to the readers, and he a selfish, close-minded man who wants to "own" people. Their children are far more endearing -- Fleur is passionate and vivacious, and Jon is sensitive and sweet. But there's a vast cast of interesting characters in the Forsyte family, especially melancholy Young Jolyon and his artistic daughter June.

Bitterness, obsession and love fill the pages of the "Forsye Saga," and provide the start of a truly classic trilogy of great novels.

Could Not Put It Down
Yes, it is lengthy, and yes, it suspends reality on the subject of Irene's ability to cause the Forsyte men to fall in love with her; nevertheless, I am hooked, and will be so sorry when these last fifty pages are read!
If you want to read a generational story that does not include lots of steamy or bloody scenes, but rather mentions them in passing, this is the one for you.True, once or twice I have wished there had been more discussion: people's reactions to trysyts, to deaths, to surprises... but taken as a whole, the book really does strike the note that time swallows, or at least blurs, so much familial pain.

Read the book.If you are watching the Masterpiece Theatre produciton, the book will matter to you even more.And yes, the book is better!Though the actor who portrays Soames is pretty yum, in real life!

Too much infidelity and family drama
According to the publisher, this book is a satire of monied English family at the turn of 1900's.Monied Soames Forsyte was "offered" a marriage by the beautiful (so much so that all Forsyte men fall for her at varying degree) Irene who had none.Well, Irene as rebellious as beautiful, might I add self centered as much, leaves Soames to be with her lover.Her lover happenes to be her niece's (by marriage)fiancee.He, Bosinney, ends up being killed by an accident so she comes back to Soames for a short period of time.She leaves her married life but she happened to meet up with a charmed uncle(by marriage) who settles a handsome inheritance.Now next is the uncle's son (old Jolyon and the son young Jolyon), who had committed himself an affair with the governess while married with a daughter, falls for Irene and so they become lovers....
How could have this went on -ever!- in anyone's life time, in England or anywhere else. This story demoralizes human society and makes people without sympathy and forgiveness.Least of all, the ending line is very dark, that a person wishing and wishing can never get: beauty and loving.
Did not enjoy the book, frustrated with the dvd/video, I will settle with "The Aristocrats."

It's very interesting book
I want to have this book and I dream to have it ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Forsyte family (Fictitious characters); Middle class; England; Forsyte family (Fictitious characters)/ Fiction; Middle class/ Fiction; Domestic fiction; Fiction / Classics; Fiction / Literary; ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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1913. English novelist and playwright, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932, Galsworthy became known for his portrayal of the British upper middle class and for his social satire. The Fugitive is one of the Third Series of Plays. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing. ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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The Silver Box is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by John Galsworthy is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of John Galsworthy then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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I knew him from the days of my extreme youth, because he made my father's boots; inhabiting with his elder brother two little shops let into one, in a small by-street-now no more, but then most fashionably placed in the West End. ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Consorting with iconoclasm
Most people think of John Galsworthy's "Forsyte Saga" as ending after its third book, with the dissolving of Fleur and Jon's romance.

But the story doesn't actually stop there -- the focus just shifts to another generation, in the rebellious bloom of the Roaring 20s. And while "The White Monkey" dallies too long with interior decor and the internal feuds of London's chic young set, it takes some important steps for the increasingly passionless Fleur Forsyte, and rekindling the problems of her past.

Fleur and her husband Michael are about to celebrate their second anniversary. Their home is a picture of modern multicultural chic, and Fleur is determined to find "nice things, and interesting people; I like seeing everything that's new and worth while, or seems so at the moment."

But Fleur's increasingly passionless outlook causes some problems when a friend of her husband's, the cynical and artistic Wilfred, confesses that he's in love with her. Meanwhile her husband Michael becomes involved in various people's troubles, including a young man desperate to take his young wife to Australia, and unaware of the unconventional means she's using to get money for their journey.

As the older Forsytes continue to die off -- resulting in Soames giving Fleur a bizarre picture of a white monkey -- Michael's world begins to fall apart. He first learns of Wilfred's love for Fleur -- and then for the past love affair between Fleur and Jon, which relegated him to a mere consolation prize. The Mont marriage seems to be in trouble, but may be saved by an unexpected -- and long-awaited -- twist for them.

While the first "Forsyte Saga" trilogy was steeped in the flavour of the dying Victorian age, the second trilogy opens with a distinctly twentieth-century bang -- especially since Fleur is now away from the elder Forsytes and their unchanging ways. There are still hints of the older generation's culture -- usually from Soames, his distant French wife Annette or Old Mont -- but that's not what dominates "The White Monkey."

Galsworthy's writing is still possessed of dignity, mild humor, and an undercurrent of social commentary -- in this case, a subplot about the impoverished Bicket and his sickly wife. But he also links into the trendy, fast-paced life of the Bright Young Things of the time, and the rapid and unexpected shifts in art, literature, architecture, social mores -- as well as the lingering burns from the first World War. As he chronicles these, he also takes some well-deserved jabs at them ("look at the way they all write books of reminiscence about each other!").

If there's a problem, it's that Galsworthy dallies too long with the decor of the Monts' house and social meanderings -- it feels too lightweight and plotless. Fortunately it gets back on track when Michael discovers Fleur's past -- and possible present -- romances. And the story is filled with a strange kind of poetry ("seven men in black coats filed in, and with little bows took their seats behind the quills") that gives importance to even small gestures and expressions.

Fleur is a very different creature than the one whose fiery first love was quashed so suddenly -- she seems passionless, drifting, and only interested in acquiring social and artistic prominence. Even the men who worship her don't seem to touch her as much as her dog, and she can't seem to feel anything stronger than a mild fondness for them.

That's a shame because Michael is an adorable, faithful little guy who tries to do the best thing for everybody, while Wilfred is a rather stereotypical Angry Young Artist. And Bicket and his wife Vic offer a marital struggle to parallel Michael and Fleur's -- a nude modeling job done out of pure love and hope for the future, but fosters distrust between the hardworking young man and his sickly wife.

The ongoing tale of the Forsytes wrenches its focus from the elder generation to the younger, and while the "The White Monkey" lacks passion and drive in the first half, it regains its footing later on.

Disappointment
The story line from the Series on TV was not continued with the 'way I had hoped?"
Soalme's d. gets her two children by other men. having affairs just as her mother did. and when her father dies, she sticks with her husbands friends and family. with time the characters who were in the Series are all replaced by others, so the whole 'set-up' changes. I had hoped for her to become a respectiable wife, mother and make some big 'Happening' that stood out But that didnot take place. She becomes a sneaky, plotting whinning, female who seeks to get her way and goes about gaining what she wants by 'less respcetiable' behaviour.

The second trilogy begins.
This trilogy (A Modern Comedy) opens with the focus on Fleur, the daughter of the man of property, Soames. When we last saw Fleur in To Let, she was marrying the wealthy and feckless Michael Mont after having been disappointed in love.

As this book opens, Fleur is just shy of her two year wedding anniversary and she has recently discovered that Wilfred Desert, a good friend of Michael, has become too fond of her. She hates to lose Wilfred as a friend and social acquaintance, and she thinks that since she does not feel real love for either of them, she might as well see what Wilfred has to offer. Meanwhile, Michael develops into a Don Quixote character, getting dragged into helping everyone who asks him for help and becoming involved in oddball politics. The book spends the rest of its time resolving the triangle, and moves Fleur through this transition period into the next phase of her life.

The White Monkey of the title is a valuable Chinese painting given to the couple by Soames. The painting repels and fascinates whoever sees it, and represents the juncture of the collecting efforts of both Soames and Fleur.

The second trilogy has often been criticized for being less realistic in its characters than the first. Wilford in particular has been said to be exaggerated and inaccurate. I tend to think that these criticisms miss the point. Galsworthy is not so much interested in realistic characters as he is again examining changing morals, this time with the new elements that the postwar generation introduces. Fleur and her oddly passionless nature make her an ideal foil for the examination of relationships from the female point of view. The loyal Mrs. Bicket is a wonderful contrast for somehow managing moral correctness in her marriage despite behaviour that is externally much worse. One of the delightful things for me is that Soames himself is partially rehabilitated in this book, as the character traits that made himso awful in his relationship with Irene here lead him to do the correct thing in business. In contrast to the more critical views, I found the characters well drawn and fascinating in their intricate moral dance.

The book is bound with "A Silent Wooing", a coda that fills us in on what is happening with Jon in the new world, providing a hint for what The Silver Spoon will bring us in the next trilogy entry. ... Read more

Product Description
The Forsyte Saga:
Volume 1. The Man of Property
Volume 2. Indian Summer of a Forsyte
In Chancery
Volume 3. Awakening
To Let
Other Novels:
The Dark Flower
The Freelands
Beyond
Villa Rubein and Other Stories
Villa Rubein
A Man of Devon
A Knight
Salvation of a Forsyte
The Silence
Saint's Progress
The Island Pharisees
The Country House
Fraternity
The Patrician
The Burning Spear
Five Short Tales
The First and Last
A Stoic
The Apple Tree
The Juryman
Indian Summer of a Forsyte
Essays and Studies:
Concerning Life
Inn of Tranquility
Magpie over the Hill
Sheep-shearing
Evolution
Riding in the Mist
The Procession
A Christian
Wind in the Rocks
My Distant Relative
The Black Godmother
Quality
The Grand Jury
Gone
Threshing
That Old-time Place
Romance--three Gleams
Memories
Felicity
Concerning Letters
A Novelist's Allegory
Some Platitudes Concerning Drama
Meditation on Finality
Wanted--Schooling
On Our Dislike of Things as They Are
The Windlestraw
About Censorship
Vague Thoughts on Art
Plays:
First Series:
The Silver Box
Joy
Strife
Second Series:
The Eldest Son
The Little Dream
Justice
Third Series:
The Fugitive
The Pigeon
The Mob
Fourth Series:
A Bit O' Love
The Foundations
The Skin Game
Six Short Plays:
The First and The Last
The Little Man
Hall-marked
Defeat
The Sun
Punch and Go
Fifth Series:
A Family Man
Loyalties
Windows ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Let the transition begins
Those who have read "The Man of Property" and "In Chancery" are the only ones able to read John Galsworthy's "To Let". This is a book that requires previous reading and acquaintance with the Forsytes. For those this book is a treat. At this point we are in a transition. The old school of Forytes (Jolyon, Soames...) is about to `resign', while new folks are starting to assume the power and the money (Jolyon's third son, Soames' daughter...). The very old Forsyte school, by the way, is already history.

"To Let" is a novel of transition, it is as if the parents are passing the command to their kids -- at least in terms of narrative. That is why old plots (Irene, Somaes, Jolyon) and new ones are in the center of the narrative.

The story is set some twenty years after the ending of "In Chancery", Soames' and Jolyon's kids are virtually adults but they don't know the plot involving their parents (the story of the first and second novel) and are ready to fall in love. It is not surprise that Fleur (Jolyon's French kid) will fall in love with Jon (Jolyon's third son also named Jolyon).

But their main obstacle is not the fact that they are cousins, but the relations from the past. The narrative will focus on this Romeo and Juliet-esque couple whose union --or separation-- lies in a secret hidden in the past.

Those who have reached the third installment in the saga are those who have liked it and are looking forward to see what will happen to the Forsyte. So it is no mystery that Galsworthy exploits the family changes as a shadow of the change in their society --set about the 20's of the XX Century. As Britain Empire declines, so does the power of the Forsytes that can not avoid their hidden skeletons.
... Read more

Product Description
Consisting of three novels and two interludes, the Forsyte saga chronicles several generations of an upper middle class British family at the beginning of the twentieth century. Full of social satire, "The Man of Property" commences this fictional history and introduces the first generation of Forsytes, prominently featuring Soames and his wife Irene. Keenly aware of their nouveau riche standing and highly desirous of material possessions, Soames especially demonstrates the opposing forces of duty and desire. While interrupted by World War I, Galsworthy continued his trilogy with "Indian Summer of a Forsyte," "In Chancery," "Awakening," and finally "To Let," gradually bringing up another generation of Forsytes, including the second cousins Jon and Fleur Forsyte. The changes that occur over this fictional time show how this family grows and adjusts in a developing world. This saga demonstrates some of Galsworthy's best writing, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932 for his life's work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great book
Galsworthy is a very talented writer.I bought this book used.It was in acceptable condition and I love the book.

Galsworthy's Victorian epic
Everyone's heard of "The Forsyte Saga," the BBC family epic of the late Victorian Age. Fewer have read the Galsworthy book, and that's a shame, because it's fascinating on so many levels.

On the surface it's the story of Soames Forsyte, the quintessential icon of the growth of the upper middle classes and the decline of the nobility during the Victorian era. Descended from a farmer in Dorset in the not-too-distant past, Soames is a lawyer and a man of property. He buys wisely, sells more wisely, and husbands his wealth and that of the family.He is in control of everything that affects him, except one thing--his wife. Desiring to possess the sensitive, beautiful, genteel but poor Irene, and with the help of a callous mother, Soames pressures Irene into becoming his wife. From this single mistake, the one time Soames let passion rule, his life and the lives of his family and their descendants are changed in unpredictable and frightening ways. Galsworthy's theme is the constant tussle in life between property and art, love and possession, freedom and convention. In the fine tradition of family sagas, these themes play themselves out over and over with each generation.

On another level, this is the story of an age, the story of the British Empire at its peak. Galsworthy packs his book with allusions to the great crises of the time, the Boer War and WWI, the rise of Labour, the death of the Queen, the spread of "democracy." The Forsyte homes are meticulously detailed, from the French reproduction furniture to the dusty sofas to the heavy drapes, to the fireplace grate, to the electric lights in the old chandeliers. Soames collects art, and Galsworthy showers us with the opinions of a British gentleman of the great and not so great art of the day.

The saga was written over a period of many years, and on yet another level I found the the changes in Galsworthy's style from the rather clipped, detailed recitations of events and commentary typical of the 19th century to the more expressive style of the 20th. Especially in the first volume of the three, family relationships are painstakingly laid out, the rounds of dinners and family gatherings carefully chronicled. By the third volume, To Let, Galsworthy reveals the love of the countryside and the pain of repressed emotions that the family members a generation ago would have hidden. The writing is very beautiful--as in this sentence: "Fleur raised her eyelids--the restless glint of those clear whites remained on Holly's vision as might the flutter of a caged bird's wings."
It took me a good six weeks to plow through The Forsyte Saga, but it was worth it.

Sprawling "Saga"
Family secrets, dirty little problems, and a dash of adultery, scandal and forbidden love. Soap opera? Well, sort of -- it's Nobel Prize Winner John Galsworthy's sprawling family epic "The Forsyte Saga." While it has a distinctly soapy flavor, "Saga" retains its dignity and look at turn-of-the-century mores and society.

The Forsyte family is determinedly regal and hard-nosed, almost to the point of a fault. One staid family member, Soames Forsyte, becomes obsessed with the beautiful but poor Irene, and finally gets her to marry him -- on condition that if their marriage doesn't work, she walks. Well, their marriage doesn't work. Soames is frustrated that Irene shuts him out of her life and her bed -- even more so when he learns that she is in love with sexy, arty architect Bosinney, who is building them a new house.

Soames rapes Irene and ruins Bosinney. His marriage falls into ruins, and Bosinney is killed in a car accident. So Irene leaves permanently, living in an apartment by herself. Then Soames announces that he wants to marry a pretty French girl, Annette, and Irene weds Soames' cousin. But the problems of the older generation get inherited by the younger one -- Soames's daughter falls madly in love with Irene's son, but their parents' secret pasts doom their love.

Three novels ("A Man of Property," "In Chancery," and "To Let"), connected with two short stories ("Indian Summer of a Forsyte" and "Awakening") -- it's a pretty big story, sprawling over three generations and four decades. It's a bit soapy, with all the scandal and family weirdness, but the dignified writing keeps it from seeming sordid.

It's a credit to Galsworthy that he can communicate so much without ever getting into his characters' heads. He displays emotion in undemonstrative people like Irene through little mannerisms and twitches. At the same time, he can give us heartrending looks into aging patriarch Old Jolyon's lonely mind. His writing is very nineteenth century, dignified and with plenty of furniture/clothing details. It's pretty dense, but all right once you get used to it.

Galsworthy was a solid supporter of women's rights, and you can see in Irene and Soames' relationship -- Soames, who sees his wife as another piece of property, and the determined Irene who only wants her own happiness, but can't afford to live on her own. Their respective kids Jon and Fleur are nice but kind of boring beside their darker, more intense parents.

For a look at the social shifts that helped define the twentieth century, take a look at the "Forsyte Saga." Or if you just want to soak in a tale of family woe, love, hate and dark secrets, "Saga" still works. ... Read more