The Forsyte Saga: Amazon.ca: John Galsworthy: Books

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by John Galsworthy

5.0 out of 5 stars (1) CDN$ 15.32

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The three novels which make up The Forsyte Saga chronicle the ebbing social power of the commerical upper-middle class Forsyte family between 1886 and 1920. Soames Forsyte is the brilliantly portrayed central figure, a Victorian who outlives the age, and whose baffled passion for his beautiful but unresponsive wife Irene reverberates throughout the saga. Written with both compassion and ironic detachment, Galsworthy's masterly narrative examines not only the family's fortunes but also the wider developments within society, particularly the changing position of women in an intensely competitive male world. Above all, Galsworthy is concerned with the conflict at the heart of English culture between the soulless materialism of wealth and property and the humane instincts of love, beauty, and art.

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A complete, one-volume edition of the classic portrait of upper-middle-class life in Victorian England contains three novels --The Man of Property, In Chancery, and To Let--and their interconnecting interludes. Reprint. 12,500 first printing. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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The Bishop of Porthminster was sinking fast; they had sent for his fout nephews, his two nieces and their one husband. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

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12 Reviews

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4.8 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Soapy Saga, Feb 23 2007

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Forsyte Saga (Hardcover)

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. 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.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The best novel I have read in years, Mar 19 2004

By	Romantic Anna (Bronx, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Forsyte Saga: The Man of Property and In Chancery (Paperback)

I have read most of the great novels and i find this to be far superior to many considered part of the essential western canon. The psychology, subtlety of narrative and memorable characters (Old Jolyon being my favorite in a book chock full of interesting characters) are all above and beyond most novels i have read. There is something wonderful about the scale of the novel and I would often find myself weeping while reading this- people often create their own tragedies and those moments are worth reading about. Simply perfect.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Read It And Weep..., Aug 19 2003

By	"missfinn" (Grand Prairie, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Forsyte Saga: The Man of Property and In Chancery (Paperback)

This body of works has moved me unlike any other. I have re-read the Forsyte Saga over and over again. Each time, I am brought to tears. Sadness over Irene's situation and then by the end, for Soames, who wanted nothing more than to love her and lavish upon her all that he could. When Irene and Young Jolyon marry, you want all the best for them, even knowing the pain Soames feels. Throughout the entire history of this family, you share their joys, sorrows and even a little bit of laughter. You just can't help loving Aunts Ann, Julia & Hester. You'll never regret the reading of these books. It took me 4 yrs. of searching thrift stores in order to have all 3 hardbacks. I've never had more fun searching for something!

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The denizens of a 19th century superpower -the
I read the Forsyte saga while I was in college - and was instantly hooked. John Galsworthy wormholes you into a different
world and time, but as the essence and humanity of his... Read more

Published on Jun 19 2003 by R. D. Malladi

5.0 out of 5 stars No wonder Galsworthy won!
What an infinite study of character, the Forsyte character, men of ownership, of possession, of material things! Read more

Published on Dec 31 2002 by dikybabe

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant novel
I finished three-quarters of this entire book in less than a week; the first novel of the three in less than two days. That's how good "The Forsyte Saga" is. Read more

Published on Nov 9 2002 by Lady Blakeney

5.0 out of 5 stars A Nobel saga
The writing evident in this epic is masterful and engaging: it is even and substantive and elegant. The rich irony about the lengths that men strive to acquire property in all its... Read more

Published on Dec 13 2001 by Wordsworth

3.0 out of 5 stars Simply soap opera - but a good one
I got hooked on John Galsworthy's Forsyte novels when I saw the BBC TV series in 1969. At that time I sympathized with Irene and Bossinney and hated Soames for what he did to... Read more

Published on Sep 12 2001 by Jesse Monteagudo

5.0 out of 5 stars everybody just reads the first novel (and that's a shame)
The 1933 Scribner's edition of this classic trilogy is worthwhile because of the preface by Ada Galsworthy, the author's wife. Read more

Published on April 30 2000 by Philip Greenspun

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE FORGOTTEN GREATS
Upon the release of ML's 100 greatest English-lanuage novels of this century, it was to my great sadness to find "The Forsyte Saga" missing from the list. Read more

Published on Sep 13 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I've ever read
This is a must-read! Galsworthy's writing is outstanding. Also read the sequel to the Saga -- "A Modern Comedy."

Published on Jul 19 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars The only thing better than the story is the writing.

Galsworthy gives his readers a view into the transition between the Victorian culture and the Modern through characters who seem to come alive under his masterful writing... Read more

Published on April 1 1998

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The Forsyte Saga (Hardcover)

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