John Galsworthy wrote The Forsyte Saga

It is the birthday of English novelist John Galsworthy (1867), whose work won him the Nobel Prize for literature in 1932. He is best known for his three novels and two interludes known collectively as The Forsyte Saga, a sweeping tale of a "new money" British family only a few generations removed from their agrarian roots, and their struggles with their new position in society. Parts or all of the story has been adapted for film and television, most recently on Masterpiece Theatre in 2002-2003. Here is a preview of the Masterpiece Theatre version. Read the books first.