"Strangers and Brothers" by C.P. Snow

HarryT · 12-18-2011, 10:35 AM

Having just got an extremely good price for my old K3 on eBay, I've decided to use some of the money buying the complete 11-volume "Strangers and Brothers" series of novels by the English author C.P. Snow (1905-1980).

Snow was a fascinating character; a physicist, academic, and civil servant, who lamented the fact that the general public didn't understand what scientists actually did. His "Strangers and Brothers" series chronicles the life of Lewis Eliot, 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. Along the way he examines such issues as the scientific community's involvement in (and reaction to) the development and deployment of nuclear weapons during the Second World War.

A truly fascinating series of books, which I've read a couple of in the past; I look forward to reading the entire series on my Kindle.

I don't know if the expression is used elsewhere, but the expression "The Corridors of Power", which is used as a synonym for Whitehall, where senior civil servants are the real "power behind the throne" in the British political system, comes from the title ("Corridors of Power") of one of the books in this series.

In case anyone is interested, the 11 books are (in chronological order, not publication order):

Time of Hope (1949)
George Passant (first called Strangers and Brothers) (1940)
The Conscience of the Rich (1958)
The Light and the Dark (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)

issybird · 12-18-2011, 10:55 AM

I will add my own encomium to Harry's. This is a wonderful series, and indeed, "corridors of power" is also a phrase in American.

However, I'm going to suggest that if the 11-novel sequence seems a little daunting, The Masters works as a stand-alone novel about a power struggle within academia, and might just be the book that sucked in the reader. (Full disclosure: I'm pretty sure that's what got me!)

SensualPoet · 12-18-2011, 11:37 AM

I see these ebooks as House of Stratus editions -- not currently available for Kobo but for sale as Kindle format to Canadians -- the same publisher that has released Michael Innes Inspector Appleby reissues as ebooks. These are well formatted, reliable editions. I shall be looking for them down the road. Thanks for the tip!

HarryT · 12-18-2011, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

I see these ebooks as House of Stratus editions -- not currently available for Kobo but for sale as Kindle format to Canadians -- the same publisher that has released Michael Innes Inspector Appleby reissues as ebooks. These are well formatted, reliable editions. I shall be looking for them down the road. Thanks for the tip!

Good to know that it's a reliable publisher. Thanks!

CRussel · 12-18-2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Good to know that it's a reliable publisher. Thanks!

The US Kindle versions are Stratus as well. My question would be, where to start? Supposedly George Passant is the "first" book, but then you list Time of Hope as first. The Amazon description has it as the third book in the series? Should one read these in published order? Or chronological order?

HarryT · 12-18-2011, 01:23 PM

I'm going to read them in published order. I always figure that's the best thing to do, myself. That series listing is just copied from the Wiki article on the series.

Zetmolm · 12-18-2011, 03:04 PM

I have the 3-volume edition published by McMillan in 1972 on my shelves, in which the books have been ordered chronologically. It contains a preface by C. P. Snow himself in which he makes it clear that this is the order in which he hopes the work is read. Also, he says that this sequence of novels was conceived as one work from the beginning. I'd read the books in this order, although of course everyone is free to read any book or series in any order they like.

BTW, if I ever sell or give away all my physical books because I have everything replaced by electronic copies, these three volumes will be among the last to leave my house. It will be difficult to part from them. Great books, with for me some great memories attached to them. Thanks for mentioning this series!

HarryT · 12-18-2011, 04:01 PM

Thanks for the advice on reading order, Zetmolm; I'll certainly follow the author's recommendation!

rkomar · 12-19-2011, 04:13 AM

Oh crap! For many years now, I've been sitting on a paper copy of "The New Men" waiting for the moment I would feel like reading it. As an ex-physicist, I figured the time would come sooner or later. However, knowing now that there are ten other books in the series, and the one I have is smack-dab in the middle, throws a wet blanket over what enthusiasm I had. Ignorance was bliss!

CRussel · 12-19-2011, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Thanks for the advice on reading order, Zetmolm; I'll certainly follow the author's recommendation!

I'm going to start with George Passant -- not because I don't think the author should be able to suggest which I should read first, but because I already bought it based on Harry's original statement. If I enjoy it, I'll continue with the series. If not, it'll probably go on my back burner list. And given how many are on my TBR, it's tough to get off that back burner to the TBR.

HarryT · 12-19-2011, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

I'm going to start with George Passant -- not because I don't think the author should be able to suggest which I should read first, but because I already bought it based on Harry's original statement. If I enjoy it, I'll continue with the series. If not, it'll probably go on my back burner list. And given how many are on my TBR, it's tough to get off that back burner to the TBR.

I've just started "Time of Hope" and am really enjoying it so far. Mr Snow has an easy-going, relaxed, writing style, which I like a lot.

CRussel · 12-19-2011, 02:30 PM

George Passant will have to wait until I finish a couple of books I've already started. Or I might hold off until the new year, just so I can get a good start on my reading challenge since I'd rate this as a "classic", rather than my usual SFF and Mysteries.

Dr. Drib · 12-19-2011, 02:45 PM

Harry, please stop!

You're getting me interested in this series and I still have 4-5 other reads that need to take precedent!

Don

carpetmojo · 12-19-2011, 05:40 PM

4 - 5 ?

I wish........

I'm going to have to retire to get mine down to 20 !

Dr. Drib · 12-19-2011, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

4 - 5 ?

I wish........

I'm going to have to retire to get mine down to 20 !

I meant 4-5 immediate reads. I have over 300 other books to read!

Don

12-18-2011, 10:35 AM	#1
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	"Strangers and Brothers" by C.P. Snow Having just got an extremely good price for my old K3 on eBay, I've decided to use some of the money buying the complete 11-volume "Strangers and Brothers" series of novels by the English author C.P. Snow (1905-1980). Snow was a fascinating character; a physicist, academic, and civil servant, who lamented the fact that the general public didn't understand what scientists actually did. His "Strangers and Brothers" series chronicles the life of Lewis Eliot, 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. Along the way he examines such issues as the scientific community's involvement in (and reaction to) the development and deployment of nuclear weapons during the Second World War. A truly fascinating series of books, which I've read a couple of in the past; I look forward to reading the entire series on my Kindle. I don't know if the expression is used elsewhere, but the expression "The Corridors of Power", which is used as a synonym for Whitehall, where senior civil servants are the real "power behind the throne" in the British political system, comes from the title ("Corridors of Power") of one of the books in this series. In case anyone is interested, the 11 books are (in chronological order, not publication order): Time of Hope (1949) George Passant (first called Strangers and Brothers) (1940) The Conscience of the Rich (1958) The Light and the Dark (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)

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12-18-2011, 10:55 AM	#2
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,281 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	I will add my own encomium to Harry's. This is a wonderful series, and indeed, "corridors of power" is also a phrase in American. However, I'm going to suggest that if the 11-novel sequence seems a little daunting, The Masters works as a stand-alone novel about a power struggle within academia, and might just be the book that sucked in the reader. (Full disclosure: I'm pretty sure that's what got me!)

12-18-2011, 11:37 AM	#3
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	I see these ebooks as House of Stratus editions -- not currently available for Kobo but for sale as Kindle format to Canadians -- the same publisher that has released Michael Innes Inspector Appleby reissues as ebooks. These are well formatted, reliable editions. I shall be looking for them down the road. Thanks for the tip!

12-18-2011, 01:23 PM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm going to read them in published order. I always figure that's the best thing to do, myself. That series listing is just copied from the Wiki article on the series.

12-18-2011, 03:04 PM	#7
Zetmolm Guru Posts: 615 Karma: 2362786 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PocketBook Verse Pro Colour	I have the 3-volume edition published by McMillan in 1972 on my shelves, in which the books have been ordered chronologically. It contains a preface by C. P. Snow himself in which he makes it clear that this is the order in which he hopes the work is read. Also, he says that this sequence of novels was conceived as one work from the beginning. I'd read the books in this order, although of course everyone is free to read any book or series in any order they like. BTW, if I ever sell or give away all my physical books because I have everything replaced by electronic copies, these three volumes will be among the last to leave my house. It will be difficult to part from them. Great books, with for me some great memories attached to them. Thanks for mentioning this series!

12-18-2011, 04:01 PM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Thanks for the advice on reading order, Zetmolm; I'll certainly follow the author's recommendation!

12-19-2011, 04:13 AM	#9
rkomar Wizard Posts: 3,052 Karma: 18821071 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633	Oh crap! For many years now, I've been sitting on a paper copy of "The New Men" waiting for the moment I would feel like reading it. As an ex-physicist, I figured the time would come sooner or later. However, knowing now that there are ten other books in the series, and the one I have is smack-dab in the middle, throws a wet blanket over what enthusiasm I had. Ignorance was bliss!

12-19-2011, 02:30 PM	#12
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,296 Karma: 80074820 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), iPad Air M3	George Passant will have to wait until I finish a couple of books I've already started. Or I might hold off until the new year, just so I can get a good start on my reading challenge since I'd rate this as a "classic", rather than my usual SFF and Mysteries.

12-19-2011, 02:45 PM	#13
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,437 Karma: 59592133 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	Harry, please stop! You're getting me interested in this series and I still have 4-5 other reads that need to take precedent! Don

12-19-2011, 05:40 PM	#14
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	4 - 5 ? I wish........ I'm going to have to retire to get mine down to 20 !

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