Homecomings by C.P. Snow (1956)

The novel revolves around the lives of two Cambridge academics, Lewis Eliot and Charles Stringham, who return to England after serving in World War I. Their experiences during the war have a profound impact on their relationships with each other and those around them. Lewis Eliot, a physicist, is struggling to come to terms with his own identity and sense of purpose. He is haunted by memories of the war and feels disconnected from his family and friends. Charles Stringham, a historian, has been severely injured in the war and is now confined to a wheelchair. His experiences have left him disillusioned with the world around him and he struggles to find meaning in his life. As they navigate their post-war lives, Lewis and Charles must confront the changes that have taken place in society and in themselves. They are forced to re-evaluate their relationships, their careers, and their sense of purpose. The novel explores themes of identity, morality, and the human condition, raising questions about the nature of reality and the impact of war on individuals and society.

By C.P. Snow · First published 1956 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Drama, Social Commentary · 56 chapters

Contents

• Lighted Window Seen from the Street
• Two Kinds of Business Method
• The Point of a Circuitous Approach
• Handclasp on a Hot Night
• Inadmissible Hope
• Frown under the Bedside Lamp
• Triumph of R s Robinson
• You've Done all you Could'
• A Goodbye in the Morning
• No Letter in the Room
• Claustrophobia in an Empty House
• The Smell of Herb Tobacco
• A Smooth Bedcover
• Loan of a Book
• Confidential Offer
• Fog above the River
• Business on New Year's Day
• The Sweetness of Life
• Two Sisters
• A Darkening Window
• The Acquiescent Versus the Opaque
• Mention of a Man's Name
• Gigantesque
• Mild Wind after a Quarrel
• Catch of Breath in the Darkness
• From the Last Light to the First
• View of a Swinging Door
• A Change of Taste
• First Interview of George Passant
• Spectator's Paradise
• Announcement in a Newspaper
• Outside the House
• Pathology of Spectators
• Confidential Offer in Reverse
• Simple Question on Top of a Bus
• Reading-Lamp Alight in a Peaceful Room
• Smell of Leaves in the Rain
• Significance of a Quarrel
• Illusion of Invisibility
• Happiness and Make-Believe
• End of an Epoch
• Apparent Choice
• Visit from a Well-Wisher
• Second Interview of George Passant
• Frigid Drawing-Room
• Last Train to a Provincial Town
• Middle of the Night
• Birth of a Son
• A Child Looking at the Moon
• Comparison of Marriages
• Listening to the Next Room
• Photophobia
• Act of Courage
• ‘Come with me'
• Effects of an Obligation
• The Short Walk Home

More by C.P. Snow

• In their Wisdom (1953)
• The Malcontents (1959)
• Corridors of Power (1959)
• The New Men (1954)
• All works by C.P. Snow