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1987-2000
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Back to the Land charts the progress of the Archer family as the younger generation grow up to face wider horizons than their grandparents ever imagined. Yet their ties to their family, to Ambridge and to the soil remain as strong as ever. David finally meets his match in Ruth, an agriculture student working at Brookfield. Yet it’s not all happy families down on the farm and tensions arise. Someone will have to overcome their stubborn Archer nature so that the family and Brookfield - can move forward. Shula survives the tragedy of Mark’s death, helped by the birth of their longed-for son, Daniel. She surprises herself by being torn between two men before finally settling for someone who may just bring her lasting happiness. Elizabeth finds that even her closest family turn against her when, abandoned by unscrupulous Cameron Fraser, she goes through with a secret abortion. But Nigel Pargetter will always be there for her. So, unfortunately, will his domineering mother Julia. Debbie impresses her mother Jennifer when she ends her affair with an older man. But Simon Gerrard doesn’t stay out of her life for long, and soon she’s forced to make even harder choices. John grows into an independent and sometimes downright difficult teenager. But just as he seems ready to settle down with his girlfriend Hayley, tragedy strikes a devastating blow. Tommy faces serious criminal charges after he turns to direct action in his fight against his uncle Brian’s use of GM crops. The tense court case that ensues challenges and strengthens the Archers’ deepest family loyalties. Almost fifty years after listeners first met Dan and Doris Archer, Back to the Land takes the ongoing story of Britain’s favourite farmers into the 21st century.
£14.99
THE A M B R I D G E C H R O N I C L E S PART T HR E E
Back to the Land
J O A N N A TOYE
For Vanessa, with love and thanks.
This book is published to accompany the BBC Radio 4 serial entitled The Archers. The Editor of The Archers is Vanessa Whitburn. Published by BBC Worldwide Ltd, Woodlands, 80 Wood Lane, LondonW12 OTT First published 2000 Copyright © JoannaToye 2000 The moral right of the author has been asserted. All rights reserved. N o part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without the permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. ISBN 0 563 53701 9 Commissioning Editor: Emma Shackleton Project Editors: Lara Speicher and Erica Jeal Designed byTim Higgins Text set in Adobe Plantin and New Caledonia Semi Bold Italic by Keystroke, Jacaranda Lodge, Wolverhampton Printed and bound in Great Britain by Butler &Tanner Ltd, Frome and London Jacket printed by Lawrence-Alien Ltd, Weston-super-Mare
Contents
Acknowledgements
5
The Archers Family Tree
6
1 The Heir Apparent
9
2 The Prodigal Son
31
3 A Sense of Loss
47
4 New Departures
63
5 Revaluations
73
6 Affairs of the Heart
87
7 A Fallen Woman
109
8 Secrets and Lies
125
9 No Return
139
10 Family Feelings
151
11 A Kind of Immortality
165
12 Stresses and Strains
177
13 Motherly Love
189
14 Belonging
199
15 A Friend in Need
209
16 The Truth Always Hurts
219
17 DejaVu
2