Books which follow characters over many years?

[Bearg]

I love books which really dig into the character/characters and follow them over their lifetime or many years. Some of my favourites are Summer Sisters by Judy Blume, One Day by David Nicholls, and I've almost finished Lessons by Ian McEwan which I have also enjoyed.

Can anyone recommend any other similar books?

Anthony Powell: A Dance to the Music of Time.

Aldous Huxley: Eyeless in Gaza

Oscar Wilde: Dorian Gray

Evelyn Waugh: Brideshead Revisited

Susan Howatch, wheel of fortune or Penmaric

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

Agree about Elizabeth Strout. All of hers are brilliant and follow the lives of Olive Kitteridge, Lucy Barton and many others. Tell me Everything has lots of her characters together in 1 book.

Never read Susan Howatch but remember the covers from the 80s. Maybe should give them a go.

Panchinko by Min Jin Lee follows a family over years. One of my DC read it first and bought me a copy they loved it so much.

Middlesex

I've just mentioned this on another thread but, unabashed, I'll recommend it here too

The Old Wives' Tale by Arnold Bennett.

It follows two sisters from girlhood to old age and it is a fantastic read.

Sounds good

i vaguely remember my mum watching Clayhanger in the 70s

It's set in the same area as Clayhanger but it also moves to Paris.

It was written around 1909/10 but it begins in the 1860s. It hooked me and it was very satisfying to follow two sisters, who end up with very different lives, right through to their old age.

It's a bit of a chunker at over 600 pages but, if you do try it @suburburban I hope you enjoy it,