At the end of the Great War, those who had danced their way through settled Edwardian times faced a changed world. Many found themselves struggling to accept the past, while others were anxious to move toward a new future. Told from many perspectives, THE GREAT SILENCE is the story of the neglected pause between 1918 and 1920. A two-minute silence to honour those who died was underpinned by a more enduring silence born out of national grief. As the cost of living rose, unemployment billowed in a climate of loneliness and disbelief. From Nancy Astor, the first woman MP, to Eric Horne, an overworked butler, people either embraced or hid from the changes around them. In her trademark style, Juliet Nicolson evokes what life was like during this fascinating hinge in history.