The Rain Before It Falls

First edition
Author	Jonathan Coe
Publisher	Viking Press
Publication date	2007
Pages	277 pp.
ISBN	9780670917334
Dewey Decimal	823/.914
LC Class	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.

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