The Summer Before the War: A Novel

Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A novel to cure your Downton Abbey withdrawal . .
. a delightful story about nontraditional romantic relationships, class
snobbery and the everybody-knows-everybody complications of living in a small
community.”—The Washington Post The bestselling author of Major Pettigrew’s
Last Stand returns with a breathtaking novel of love on the eve of World War I
that reaches far beyond the small English town in which it is set. NAMED ONE
OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST AND NPR East Sussex,
1914. It is the end of England’s brief Edwardian summer, and everyone agrees
that the weather has never been so beautiful. Hugh Grange, down from his
medical studies, is visiting his Aunt Agatha, who lives with her husband in
the small, idyllic coastal town of Rye. Agatha’s husband works in the Foreign
Office, and she is certain he will ensure that the recent saber rattling over
the Balkans won’t come to anything. And Agatha has more immediate concerns;
she has just risked her carefully built reputation by pushing for the
appointment of a woman to replace the Latin master. When Beatrice Nash arrives
with one trunk and several large crates of books, it is clear she is
significantly more freethinking—and attractive—than anyone believes a Latin
teacher should be. For her part, mourning the death of her beloved father, who
has left her penniless, Beatrice simply wants to be left alone to pursue her
teaching and writing. But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the
Sussex landscape and the colorful characters who populate Rye, the perfect
summer is about to end. For despite Agatha’s reassurances, the unimaginable is
coming. Soon the limits of progress, and the old ways, will be tested as this
small Sussex town and its inhabitants go to war. Praise for The Summer Before
the War “What begins as a study of a small-town society becomes a compelling
account of war and its aftermath.”—Woman’s Day “This witty character study of
how a small English town reacts to the 1914 arrival of its first female
teacher offers gentle humor wrapped in a hauntingly detailed story.”—Good
Housekeeping “Perfect for readers in a post–Downton Abbey slump . . . The
gently teasing banter between two kindred spirits edging slowly into love is
as delicately crafted as a bone-china teacup. . . . More than a high-toned
romantic reverie for Anglophiles—though it serves the latter purpose,
too.”—The Seattle Times Read more

Features:

Product Details:

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Trade Paperbacks; Reprint edition (February 21, 2017)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0812983203
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 03
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1.09 x 7.91 inches
• Best Sellers Rank: #99,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #480 in Historical British & Irish Literature #1,803 in Family Life Fiction (Books) #5,852 in Literary Fiction (Books)
• #480 in Historical British & Irish Literature
• #1,803 in Family Life Fiction (Books)