A classic in his lifetime, this English writer is renowned for his fourth novel, considered by critics to be his best work. Once again, Edwardian England comes to life. At the center of the story are two families. On one side, the wealthy Wilcox family: Henry, the coolly charming entrepreneur, and his ailing wife, Ruth. On the other, the cultured and sensitive Schlegel sisters, who express their intellectual spirits in the tea salons of London. Between these two lifestyles is Leonard Bast, a young clerk who falls under the protective wings of Helen Schlegel. He is the everyman, yearning for a place in the world of culture, yet he is torn apart by the ruthless nature of the Wilcoxes and the competing compassion of the Schlegels.
