Strangers and Brothers
Encyclopedia
Strangers and Brothers is a series of novel
s by C. P. Snow, published between 1940 and 1974. They deal with – amongst other things – questions of political and personal integrity
, and the mechanics of exercising power.
All eleven novels in the series are narrated by the character Lewis Eliot. The series follows his life and career from humble beginnings in an English provincial town, to reasonably successful London lawyer, to Cambridge don, to wartime service in Whitehall, to senior civil servant and finally retirement.
The New Men deals with the scientific community's involvement in (and reaction to) the development and deployment of nuclear weapons during the Second World War. Conscience of the Rich concerns a wealthy, Anglo-Jewish merchant-banking family. Time of Hope
and George Passant
depict the price paid by clever, poor young men to escape their provincial origins.
Snow analyses the professional world, scrutinising microscopical shifts of power within the enclosed settings of a Cambridge college, a Whitehall ministry, a law firm. Snow's novelistic world resembles the "classical" detective story
, which needs to exclude as many variables as possible from the problem (a passing stranger cannot be the murderer - it has to be one of the houseguests). Snow's fiction similarly contains his characters in the smallest possible area of operation, with no appeal to outside.
For example, in the novels set in the Cambridge college (a thinly-veiled Christ's
), a small, disparate group of men is typically required to reach a collective decision on an important subject. In The Masters, the dozen or so college members elect a new head (the Master) by majority vote. In The Affair, a small group of dons sets out to correct a possible injustice: they must convince the rest of the college to re-open an investigation into scientific fraud. In both novels, the characters strongly resist letting in the external world, whether it be the press, public opinion, the college "Visitor", or outside experts.
The books are, in order of the narrative (which differs from publication order):
into a 13-episode television series, which began airing in January 1984. The series starred Shaughan Seymour as Lewis, Sheila Ruskin
as his mentally troubled first wife Sheila and Cherie Lunghi
as his second wife Margaret. Other actors of note who took part in the series include Anthony Hopkins
, Nigel Havers
, Peter Sallis
and Tom Wilkinson
. The series is has been released on DVD
in the Region 1 format.
The BBC later adapted the books as a 10-episode Radio 4 Classic Serial, first broadcast in 2003, most recently repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra in November/December 2011. The series starred Adam Godley
as Lewis, Anastasia Hille
as Sheila and Juliet Aubrey
as Margaret with David Haig
as narrator.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s by C. P. Snow, published between 1940 and 1974. They deal with – amongst other things – questions of political and personal integrity
Integrity
Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...
, and the mechanics of exercising power.
All eleven novels in the series are narrated by the character Lewis Eliot. The series follows his life and career from humble beginnings in an English provincial town, to reasonably successful London lawyer, to Cambridge don, to wartime service in Whitehall, to senior civil servant and finally retirement.
The New Men deals with the scientific community's involvement in (and reaction to) the development and deployment of nuclear weapons during the Second World War. Conscience of the Rich concerns a wealthy, Anglo-Jewish merchant-banking family. Time of Hope
Time of Hope
Time of Hope is the first chronological entry in C. P. Snow's series of novels Strangers and Brothers. It involves the beginning of Lewis Elliott's life in poverty in a small English town at the beginning of the 20th Century. Elliott eventually befriends George Passant, who helps him study to...
and George Passant
George Passant
George Passant is the first published of C. P. Snow's series of novels Strangers and Brothers, but the second according to the internal chronology. It was first published under the name Strangers and Brothers....
depict the price paid by clever, poor young men to escape their provincial origins.
Snow analyses the professional world, scrutinising microscopical shifts of power within the enclosed settings of a Cambridge college, a Whitehall ministry, a law firm. Snow's novelistic world resembles the "classical" detective story
Detective Story
Detective Story is a film noir which tells the story of one day in the lives of the various people who populate a police detective squad. It features Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Cathy O'Donnell, Lee Grant, among others. The movie was adapted by Robert Wyler and Philip Yordan...
, which needs to exclude as many variables as possible from the problem (a passing stranger cannot be the murderer - it has to be one of the houseguests). Snow's fiction similarly contains his characters in the smallest possible area of operation, with no appeal to outside.
For example, in the novels set in the Cambridge college (a thinly-veiled Christ's
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
), a small, disparate group of men is typically required to reach a collective decision on an important subject. In The Masters, the dozen or so college members elect a new head (the Master) by majority vote. In The Affair, a small group of dons sets out to correct a possible injustice: they must convince the rest of the college to re-open an investigation into scientific fraud. In both novels, the characters strongly resist letting in the external world, whether it be the press, public opinion, the college "Visitor", or outside experts.
The books are, in order of the narrative (which differs from publication order):
- Time of HopeTime of HopeTime of Hope is the first chronological entry in C. P. Snow's series of novels Strangers and Brothers. It involves the beginning of Lewis Elliott's life in poverty in a small English town at the beginning of the 20th Century. Elliott eventually befriends George Passant, who helps him study to...
(1949) - George PassantGeorge PassantGeorge Passant is the first published of C. P. Snow's series of novels Strangers and Brothers, but the second according to the internal chronology. It was first published under the name Strangers and Brothers....
(first called Strangers and Brothers) (1940) - The Conscience of the Rich (1958)
- The Light and the DarkThe Light and the DarkThe Light and the Dark is the fourth novel in C.P. Snow's Strangers and Brothers series. Set in England in the lead-up to and during World War II, it portrays Lewis Eliot's friendship with the gifted scholar and remarkable individual Roy Calvert, and Calvert's inner turmoil and quest for meaning in...
(1947) - The Masters (1951)
- The New Men (1954)
- Homecomings (1956)
- The Affair (1960)
- Corridors of Power (1964)
- The Sleep of Reason (1968)
- Last Things (1970)
Radio and Television adaptations
The books were adapted by the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
into a 13-episode television series, which began airing in January 1984. The series starred Shaughan Seymour as Lewis, Sheila Ruskin
Sheila Ruskin
Sheila Ruskin is an English actress.She is possibly best known for playing Vipsania in the 1976 BBC adaptation of I, Claudius but is also remembered by fans of Doctor Who for her performance as Kassia in the 1981 serial The Keeper of Traken, and by Blake's 7 fans as Alta 1 in the 1979 episode...
as his mentally troubled first wife Sheila and Cherie Lunghi
Cherie Lunghi
Cherie M. Lunghi is an English film, television and theatre actress. She is probably best known for her role as Guinevere in the 1981 film Excalibur, as football manageress Gabriella Benson in the 1990s television series The Manageress and for starring in a series of adverts for Kenco coffee. She...
as his second wife Margaret. Other actors of note who took part in the series include Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
, Nigel Havers
Nigel Havers
Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
, Peter Sallis
Peter Sallis
Peter Sallis, OBE is an English actor and entertainer, well-known for his work on British television. Although he was born and brought up in London, his two most notable roles require him to adopt the accents and mannerisms of a Northerner.Sallis is best known for his role as the main character...
and Tom Wilkinson
Tom Wilkinson
Thomas Geoffrey "Tom" Wilkinson, OBE is a British actor. He has twice been nominated for an Academy Award for his roles in In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton...
. The series is has been released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the Region 1 format.
The BBC later adapted the books as a 10-episode Radio 4 Classic Serial, first broadcast in 2003, most recently repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra in November/December 2011. The series starred Adam Godley
Adam Godley
Adam Godley is an English actor.-Biography:Adam Godley has appeared in numerous movies including Love Actually, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ....
as Lewis, Anastasia Hille
Anastasia Hille
Anastasia Hille is an English actress active in British television, theatre, and film.Hille was a student at Drama Centre . She was nominated for the Ian Charleson Awards in 1994.-Television:...
as Sheila and Juliet Aubrey
Juliet Aubrey
Juliet Aubrey is a British actress, best known for her role as Helen Cutter on Primeval .-Career:Aubrey attended to King's College London, where she studied Classics and Archaeology...
as Margaret with David Haig
David Haig
David Haig is an Olivier Award-winning English actor and FIPA Award-winning writer. He is known for his versatility, having played dramatic, serio-comic and comedic roles, playing characters of varied social classes...
as narrator.