Seeking: Good story spanning a family generation or two.

[doings]

. . .could be historical (don't fancy way back though) or contemporary. One of those books that gets you really involved with the characters and their lives through many years.

Like The Color Purple or The Corrections or The Good Earth???

Anybody got any suggestions, please. Thanks.

Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
The Rain Before It Falls by Jonathan Coe

Shelsco - "The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton was brilliant, I couldn't put it down. Set now but with flashbacks to the second world war and the earlier life of the mother throughout. Although its not a detective story at all, there's a real mystery to it so you're constantly trying to work it all out along with the main character. It's easy to read but not a simple story! The best book I've read in ages."

I agree. I've only just finished reading it this afternoon (about 15 minutes ago) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Only problem is, I've been so engrossed I've not done much else today!

I also recommend The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (LOVE IT) and In The House of The Spirits by Isabel Allende - in fact I just dug the latter out this morning to lend to a friend to take in hold and it reminded me how great it was.

Also, The Map of Love, by Ahdaf Soueif.

Loved Poisonwood Bible, A Fine Balance (tho very sad), Middlesex and Cutting For Stone, as previously mentioned.

Also loved Freedom, but not quite as much as the corrections.

Superbagpus,I've read Penmarric and love it.
Plus Susan Howatch's other sagas,
Wheel of Fortune and Cashelmara.
They are based on true historical events,early Plantagenet's I think.

Nancherrow and Coming Home by Rosamund Pilcher are good!

LaQuila - The Map of Love, is one of my favourite books. I think I've read it at least five times.

Would Life after Life (Kate Atkinson) count?

A suitable boy by Vikram Seth. I was so involved with the characters I slowed down towards the end to make it last and felt bereft when it finally ended.

Ohh Magimedi it makes me wail every time! I first read it when I was quite young - didn't know anything really about Eygpt and the Midlle East. I ended up getting an email address for Ahdaf Soueif (God knows where from) and writing to her to say how much I'd loved it and how sad it was about the whole Middle Eastern situation, and she started adding me to mailing lists and sending me great big theses to read and petitions to sign! I was a bit baffled.

I also second AgentProvocateur's rec for A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry, and someone else suggested The Unfortunates, by Laurie Graham, which is a brilliant book.

Agree with Penny Vicenzi spoils of time. Also Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks, brilliant family saga and not weird like many of his other books!

Ooh, I've had Map of Love sitting by my bed for years. I don't know why I can't bring myself to start it. But knowing that Laquila's a Fine Balance fan, and loves Map of Love is making me want to read it now...

Many thanks contributors!

Some wonderful suggestions here:)

Liars and Saints and then A Family Daughter by Maile Meloy. Both books cover the American Santerre family from the second world war when Yvette and Teddy first marry and then sees their children and grandchildren reach adulthood.

I loved both books and for such a big timescale they flow very easily without seeming to leave any gaps in the history of the family.

Gerard Woodward's August/I'll go to bed at noon/A curious earth sequence, which follows the disfunctional Jones family. They were recommended on here and I love them.

I have really enjoyed the Shayne Parkinson series of novels.
The first one is called Sentence of Marriage. There are four of them I think. They are set in New Zealand and span a generation.

The first one is free on Kindle.

Also highly recommend the Elizabeth Jane Howard 'Cazalet Chronicles'.

Try Tiger Hills. We read it for our book club and we all loved it.

Wild Swans by Jung Chang

The Forsyte Saga - I keep meaning re-read it.

I've read Penmarric too! Might grab it for the Kindle now it's available.

Catrin Collier Hearts of Gold series outstanding
Janet Tanner - The Black Mountains quartet also outstanding

The Son is in the booker prize list now (eek I think), and is meant to be great.

Came on to suggest Wild Swans and see it has already been suggested.

it was on Simon Mayo radio prior. That's hardly booker short list. Never mind !