This is the first critical study of Sons and Lovers to engage with the new Cambridge edition, which prints for the first time the whole text that Lawrence wrote, restoring the substantial cuts made by the first editor. Michael Black gives special attention to the genesis of the book - the writing and editing process, where first Jessie Chambers and then Edward Garnett made decisive interventions that have deeply affected our view of the book. He then analyses the book in detail, dwelling on the structure as it is now revealed. Finally, he relates Sons and Lovers to Lawrence's other works, and traces the history of its receptions.