| The Rain Before It Falls | |
| Author: | Jonathan Coe |
| Publisher: | Viking Press |
| Pub Date: | 2007 |
| Pages: | 277 pp. |
| Isbn: | 9780670917334 |
| Dewey: | 823/.914 |
| Congress: | PR6053.O26 R35 2007 |
The Rain Before It Falls is a lyrical novel written by British author Jonathan Coe. It describes the history of three generations of women directly or indirectly affected by events in post-war London and rural Shropshire. The novel contrasts with Coe's previous works in that it is almost apolitical, examining both the welcome and the undesirable legacies parents leave their children.[1]
The title comes from a tune by jazz composer Michael Gibbs.
Most of the story is told through recordings of an old lady called Rosamond who describes on tape twenty photographs that represent a family's history. The main part of the book consists of descriptions of the various photographs, framed by a background story. While each of these descriptions comprises a chapter there is also a central chapter interrupting this structure which gives a piece of the background story.
The book was first published in 2007 by the Penguin Group.