The Dreaming SuburbBetween the wars, the lives of four neighboring English families intersect in this “highly recommended” saga by a New York Times–bestselling author (Sunday Express). In the spring of 1919, his wife’s death brings Sergeant Jim Carver home from the front. He returns to be a single parent to his seven children in a place he has never lived: Number Twenty, Manor Park Avenue, in a South London suburb. The Carvers’ neighbor Eunice Fraser, at Number Twenty-Two, has also known tragedy. Her soldier husband was killed, leaving her and her eight-year-old son, Esme, to fend for themselves. At Number Four, Edith Clegg takes in lodgers and looks after her sister, Becky, whose mind has been shattered by a past trauma. No one knows much about the Friths, at Number Seventeen, who moved to the Avenue before the war. The first book in the two-part historical series the Avenue, which also includes The Avenue Goes to War, The Dreaming Suburb takes readers into the everyday lives of these English families between World War I and World War II, as their hopes, dreams, and struggles are played out against a radically changing world. |
Contents
CARVERS AT WORK AND PLAY | |
MUTINY AT HAVELOCK PARK | |
ARCHIE TAKES A HOLIDAY | |
CARVER ROUNDABOUT I | |
CHANGES AT NUMBER FOUR | |
ESME | |
JIM HEARS RUMBLINGS | |
ABDICATION AND USURPATION | |
PROGRESS FOR | |
CARVER ROUNDABOUT II | |
EDITH AND THE HOUSE OF WINDSOR | |
NEW WORLDS FOR EDITH | |
ELAINE FRITH AND THE FACTS OF LIFE | |
ALIBI FOR ARCHIE | |
HAROLD AS GIANTKILLER | |
JIM BURNS A BUS | |
EDITH IN MOURNING | |
SCHOOLDAYS FOR THREE | |
THE ICE CRACKS AT NUMBER SEVENTEEN | |
LADY IN A TOWER | |
ESMES ODYSSEY | |
JIM CLOSES THE DOOR | |
ARCHIE UNDER AN UMBRELLA | |
ELAINE COMES IN OUT OF THE RAIN | |
ESME AND THE PROMISED LAND | |
CARVER ROUNDABOUT III | |
HEROICS STRICTLY RATIONED | |
Other editions - View all
The Dreaming Suburb: Will The Avenue remain peaceful in the aftermath of war? R. F. Delderfield No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
Archie Archie's asked Avenue banjolele Becky began Bernard Berni Blackshirts Boxer Boydie called Colwyn Bay dance dear door dream Dunkirk Edgar Elaine Esme Esme's Esther Eunice eyes face father felt Fraser Frith girl Gittens Godbeer hand happened Harold heard Jim Carver Judith Judy kiss kitchen knew lived Llandudno Longjohn looked Louise Lower Road Lucknow Maginot Line Manor Wood Margy marriage married mind Miss Clegg morning mother moved never night Number Four Number Seventeen Number Twenty Number Twenty-Two once perhaps Pippa Piretta R. F. Delderfield realised recognised remembered round seemed Shirley Rise smile Sokolski Somerton sometimes soon sort stood suburb suddenly Suicide Twins Sydney talk Tappertitt Ted Hartnell tell things thought told Toni took turned twins Twyford walk watched week window woman wonderful young