Clayhanger Family Books in Order

Leaving school in the industrial Five Towns, Edwin Clayhanger imagines a future shaped by his own ambitions. His domineering father, restrictive social expectations, and an unusual young woman challenge those hopes as he grows into adulthood.

Hilda seeks work and independence beyond her mother's household, moving through life in the Potteries and a Brighton boarding house. Her relationship with George Cannon complicates those ambitions, revealing another side of the events surrounding Edwin Clayhanger.

Edwin Clayhanger and Hilda Lessways begin married life with strong wills and sharply different expectations. Everyday conflicts within their provincial household test their bond, revealing how difficult lasting companionship can become after the uncertainties of courtship.

George Cannon, Hilda Lessways's son, pursues his career while moving through artistic, literary, political, and fashionable circles. His social ambitions unfold against a changing world, eventually bringing him toward enlistment and preparation for military service.