Sorrell and Son

Sorrell and Son is a beautiful story of the love and commitment of a father to his son. Returning to civilian life in England after fighting in World War I as an officer and being decorated for bravery, he comes home to find no place to fit in. His wife leaves him, he cannot find a job and raised as a gentleman has no marketable skills. The only thing that keeps him going is his twelve-year-old son who is utterly dependent on him. The book spans the boy's youth and adulthood. It's a story of self-sacrifice and love and finding meaning in a harsh environment. The only thing that bothered me in the first half was the author's negative portrayal of women in general but he made up for it in the end with his understanding of the young woman Sorrell's son falls in love with. The author shows a sympathy for the limitations women faced at that time with only wife and motherhood their only real options. Sorrell's son has to nearly lose her, as well as his own life, to understand that she, too, deserves to find a fullfillment in her work. Wonderfully told, really, really well-written.

This is a book to read over and again. The central theme has its Horatio Alger aspect in Sorrell's climb from adversity (failed marriage,underemployment), to affluence and success, through the combined forces of hard work and professionalism with a good dash of luck. The secondary story is Sorrell's wonderful relationship with his son, and his strong but tender rearing and overseeing his of education in school and in life. This book is a first rate read and a must addition to your library.

This intriguing story takes place in England in the early twentieth century. This book was about a man who devoted his life to making his son's life a success. So many deep intellectual questions are asked, but not necessarily answered about life, marriage,love, career and relationships between father and son, husband and wife, and life in general. Definetly food for thought. He wanted his son to be more than just a worker. He wanted him to be someone special. This story has a surprise and delightful ending.

Simply an outstanding story! An excellent book! Honor, duty, loyalty, beauty and truth - We could well use this book as a guideline for the values needed both now and into the 21st Century.

When I first began to read Sorrell and Son, I was prepared not to like the main characters because I felt that the excessive pride and snobbery was beyond that which I, a born American, was able to tolerate.However, when Sorrell bows his neck to fate and takes the job of porter at a somewhat disreputable inn owned and run by a horrible sadistic woman in order to be able to make a living for his son, I was hooked.Neither adversity nor hard-work is able to defeat Sorrell. His and his son's "job" is the preparation of Kit for a successful life. Nothing is too demeaning for Sorrell if it will help further the "job." Slowly but surely, Sorrell begins to be smiled upon by the gods and his situation in life improves until he is quite well-off and is able to send Kit to excellent schools and the obtain a Tutor who prepares him for University after Kit has decided that he wants to become a surgeon.The son, Christopher, could well have become a spoiled self-serving little prig, but he did not. Instead, he grows up to be a strongly principled, intelligent, caring man. My, what a lucky boy he is to have a father like Sorrell, and, Sorrell, my, what lucky man he is to have a son like Kit! Even the fleshy, self-indulgent mother's reappearance with her Circe's charms to offer Kit after an absence of ten years is not enough to tempt him away from his "pater."As a result of Sorrell's later success in life, Kit is not required to scrabble about hungrily trying to make a living while studying medicine and yet his physical ease neither softens him nor makes him any less intent on succeeding at the "job."The ending, albeit a tear-jerker, is not in the slightest bit maudlin. Sorrell maintains his unflappable dignity until the very end.