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1953: Adam Morris wins a scholarship to Cambridge, a stepping stone for those with ambition to build lives and careers. In his first year, he makes several new friends and a few enemies. He sets out to antagonise his upper-class roommate but soon finds himself in deeper water than he'd anticipated.

1955: in their final year, Adam's friends prepare for life on the outside, some by laying the foundation stones of their careers, many pairing off in the marriage stakes, a few by doing both.

1960: Adam publishes his first novel, starts to write for film, and decides to confront a formidable adversary — the brilliant but dangerous Stephen Taylor, a prominent supporter of 1930s British fascism.

1964: Alan Parks, now a notorious television interviewer, decides to visit the country with his wife Barbara. They descend on old friends Joyce and Dan Bradley, disrupting their quiet lives.

1970: Bill Bourne returns from America to work at a new university where several of his old college friends are now teaching. They find themselves taunted by a new generation of students for their outdated 'Cambridge' approach to life.

1976: Adam, now a rich and successful writer, has more than his share of the 'glittering prizes'. He's happily married, with two children. Despite all this, Adam is still dissatisfied, and he attempts to come to terms with his material success by leading a double life.