When Gertrude Coppard meets a rough-hewn miner, Walter Morel, at a Christmas dance, she falls into a whirlwind romance characterised by physical passion. But soon after her marriage to Walter, she realises the difficulties of living off his meagre salary in a rented house. The couple fight and drift apart and Walter retreats to the pub after work each day. Gradually, Mrs. Morel's affections shift to her two sons. The sons struggle to balance their reciprocal love of their mother, as they strive for love on their own terms.

D. H. Lawrence believed that his mother had married below her class status. This personal family conflict experienced by Lawrence provided him with the impetus for the first half of his novel - in which both William, the older brother, and Paul Morel become increasingly contemptuous of their father. While Sons and Lovers initially received a lukewarm critical reception, along with allegations of obscenity, it is today regarded as a masterpiece by many critics and is often viewed as Lawrence's finest achievement.

This case laminate collector's edition includes a Victorian inspired dust-jacket.