John Galsworthy

Easton Press John Galsworthy books

The Man of Property - Library of Famous Editions -1964

Franklin Library John Galsworthy books

The Apple Tree and other stories - Collected Stories of the World's Greatest Writers - 1981
The Man of Property - 20th Century's Greatest Books - 1982
The Man of Property - World's Best Loved Books - 1985

 

Writer John Galsworthy

John Galsworthy, born on August 14, 1867, in Kingston Hill, Surrey, England, was a renowned British novelist and playwright, best known for his literary contributions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He hailed from a wealthy and influential family; his father was a solicitor, and the Galsworthys were well-established in the business and legal circles. Galsworthy received his education at Harrow and later studied law at New College, Oxford. However, his true passion lay in literature, and he chose to pursue a writing career rather than practicing law. His early works, including novels and plays, were marked by a keen social awareness and a deep empathy for the human condition.

In 1906, Galsworthy gained widespread recognition with the publication of The Man of Property, the first novel in his highly acclaimed Forsyte Saga. This multi-volume epic explored the lives and moral dilemmas of the Forsyte family, providing a sweeping panorama of English society during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. The saga earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1932, recognizing his outstanding contribution to contemporary literature.

Apart from his novels, Galsworthy was a prolific playwright. He wrote several successful plays, including Strife (1909) and Justice (1910), which established him as a significant figure in the British theater scene. His plays often tackled social issues and moral questions, reflecting his commitment to exploring the complexities of human relationships. Galsworthy's writings were not confined to fiction and drama; he also penned essays and speeches, showcasing his strong advocacy for social justice and human rights. His literary career spanned several decades, and his works continued to resonate with readers and audiences long after their initial publication.

A man of principle and conviction, Galsworthy was actively involved in social and political causes. He advocated for prison reform and was a supporter of women's suffrage. His commitment to justice and equality was evident not only in his writings but also in his personal life. John Galsworthy passed away on January 31, 1933, leaving behind a rich legacy of literature that continues to be studied and appreciated today. His exploration of societal issues, moral dilemmas, and the intricacies of human relationships has ensured his lasting influence on the world of literature and theater.

 

The Man of Property - The Forsyte Chronicles Book 1

The classic tale of a wealthy English family and a jealous husband who will stop at nothing to gain dominion over his bride.

London of the 1880 The Forsyte family is gathered with gloves, waistcoats, feathers and frocks to celebrate the engagement of young June Forstye to an architect, Philip Bosinney. The family are intrigued but wary of this stranger in their midst, who they nickname 'the Buccaneer'. Amongst those present are Soames Forsyte and his beautiful wife Irene, his most prized possession. With that meeting a chain of heartbreaking and tragic events is set in motion that will split the family to the very core...

The most prized item in Soames Forsyte's collection of beautiful things is his wife, the enigmatic Irene. But when she falls in love with Bosinney, a penniless architect who utterly rejects the Forsyte values, their affair touches off a series of events which can only end in disgrace and disaster.

The first installment of the critically acclaimed Forsyte Saga introduces the Forsyte clan and their endlessly fascinating intrigues. Author John Galsworthy’s take on the constricted roles of women within the confines of marriage casts an unforgiving light on traditional courtship while rendering otherwise common domestic dramas in the luscious, indelible prose that would establish him as one of English literature’s brightest luminaries.
 
Upon acquainting the reader with the sprawling Forsyte dynasty, Galsworthy narrows his focus to the relationship between Soames Forsyte, a wealthy solicitor, and his stunning wife, Irene. Determined to keep Irene for himself, Soames slowly narrows his wife’s social circle before convincing her to move to a countryside home. And when Irene begins to take a romantic interest in architect Philip Bosinney, Soames will stop at nothing to ensure that Irene understands her place within their marriage.
 
Widely regarded as the finest novel in an exemplary series, The Man of Property is a groundbreaking work of Victorian literature and a delightful read from first page to last.

John Galsworthy tackles his theme of the demise of the upper-middle classes with irony and compassion.

The Apple Tree and Other Stories

Written by the author of The Forsyte Saga, The Apple Tree comprises the first 24 tales of the Caravan collection, composed between the years 1900 and 1923. These stories encompass a range of topics and emotions.

The short story is often viewed as an inferior relation to the Novel. But it is an art in itself. To take a story and distil its essence into fewer pages while keeping character and plot rounded and driven is not an easy task. Many try and many fail. In this series we look at short stories from many of our most accomplished writers. Miniature masterpieces with a lot to say. In this volume we examine some of the short stories of John Galsworthy. John Galsworthy was born at Kingston Upon Thames in Surrey, England, on August 14th 1867 to a wealthy and well established family. His schooling was at Harrow and New College, Oxford before training as a barrister and being called to the bar in 1890. However, Law was not attractive to him and he travelled abroad becoming great friends with the novelist Joseph Conrad, then a first mate on a sailing ship. In 1895 Galsworthy began an affair with Ada Nemesis Pearson Cooper, the wife of his cousin Major Arthur Galsworthy. The affair was kept a secret for 10 years till she at last divorced and they married on 23 September 1905. Galsworthy first published in 1897 with a collection of short stories entitled “The Four Winds”. For the next 7 years he published these and all works under his pen name John Sinjohn. It was only upon the death of his father and the publication of “The Island Pharisees” in 1904 that he published as John Galsworthy. His first play, The Silver Box in 1906 was a success and was followed by “The Man of Property" later that same year and was the first in the Forsyte trilogy. Whilst today he is far more well know as a Nobel Prize winning novelist then he was considered a playwright dealing with social issues and the class system. He is now far better known for his novels, particularly The Forsyte Saga, his trilogy about the eponymous family of the same name. These books, as with many of his other works, deal with social class, upper-middle class lives in particular. Although always sympathetic to his characters, he reveals their insular, snobbish, and somewhat greedy attitudes and suffocating moral codes. He is now viewed as one of the first from the Edwardian era to challenge some of the ideals of society depicted in the literature of Victorian England. In his writings he campaigns for a variety of causes, including prison reform, women's rights, animal welfare, and the opposition of censorship as well as a recurring theme of an unhappy marriage from the women’s side. During World War I he worked in a hospital in France as an orderly after being passed over for military service. He was appointed to the Order of Merit in 1929, after earlier turning down a knighthood, and awarded the Nobel Prize in 1932 though he was too ill to attend. John Galsworthy died from a brain tumour at his London home, Grove Lodge, Hampstead on January 31st 1933. In accordance with his will he was cremated at Woking with his ashes then being scattered over the South Downs from an aeroplane.

Stories include:
The Apple Tree
The Juryman
Indian summer of a Forsyte
The 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 Godmothe