Elegantly constructed and told with exceptional grace, The Light Years is Elizabeth Jane Howard's modern classic of contemporary English life and the beginning of an extraordinary family saga. With an introduction by Joanna Lumley. Every summer, the Cazalet brothers, Hugh, Edward and Rupert, return to the family home in the heart of the Sussex countryside with their wives and children. There, they are joined by their parents and unmarried sister Rachel to enjoy two blissful months of picnics and childish games. But despite the idyllic setting, nothing can be done to soothe the siblings' heartache: Hugh is haunted by the ravages of war, Edward by his latest infidelity and Rupert by his inability to please his demanding wife. Meanwhile, Rachel risks losing her only chance at happiness because of her unflinching loyalty to the family. Howard's beautiful saga is the story of three generations of the Cazalet family. Their relatives, their children and their servants - and the fascinating triangle of their affairs . . . The Light Years is the first novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling five-part series. Continue the Cazalet Chronicles with Marking Time.