The story centres around the Forsyte family, an upper middle class i.e. new money set who are primarily preoccupied with the acquisition of property of all kinds. In this first book of the Forsyte Saga comprising three noels and two interludes, the Man of Property in question is Soames Forsyte, who prides himself on his collection of paintings, his beautiful wife Irene, and a grand house he's having built outside London so he can keep her in isolation. But his wife does not love him and seems instead more interested in the up and coming architect Soames has hired to build his house, a young man who also happens to be engaged to Soames' cousin and Irene's best friend June. Intrigue abounds and the subtle irony of Galsworthy's prose is pitch perfect. ( )