Just listened to Neville Shute's Aftermath on BBC Sounds, thoughts?

[ednaclouda]

Neville Shute - Aftermath just listened to this book on bbc sounds OMG its apocolytic and very real the last 6 months after 80% of the world has nuked it self and the dying aussie navy are making plans to sink their boats and subs

I need to read more. Round the Bend is a stunning book, also A Town Like Alice. I remember a discussion on this forum a few years ago about how unrealistic the character reactions were in On The Beach - the OP couldn’t imagine that kind of restrained reaction being remotely likely, prompting a most interesting discussion!

I've read A Town Like Alice and one written in ?1938 about a family on the south coast in wartime - their town is bombed, diseases spread etc, although has a more hopeful ending than On the Beach!

I may well try one of the others, thanks for the suggestions.

Gosh this is a blast from the past! My grandfather and father were both Shute fans and I read all of the books mentioned as a teenager. Thank you for the reminder.

Pastoral is quite a gentle read, for anyone wanting a not too demanding introduction to his work.. It is set against a wartime background, but the overall mood is positive.

I used to love A Town Like Alice when I was a teenager - I suspect the racism stuff probably does read too well any more though….

I love that stuff. I find it calming.

He also focuses a lot on Australia and England, and their politics which is interesting. Or rather the impact on the societies.

The second book you’re talking about is “Whatever happened to the Corbetts?”

The Neville Shute that I reread frequently is ‘The Chequer Board’.

Like most of his books, it is based on an idea that humans are fundamentally decent.

Thank you! I was planning to try and work it out later.

Another vote for Round the Bend. It is my favourite. Turns out very differently from what you expect at the start.. I love most but The Chequerboard is one I would recommend that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. I always remind myself that Nevil Shute is writing about life contemporary to him and his war stories must surely be influenced by events he knew about. The Chequerboard contains aspects I had not considered before though these have been discussed a bit in the years since I first read it (probably more than 50 years ago!).

Love Neville Shute and spent some time in my 20s completing my parent's collection. My favourite is In the Wet, and DH's is Ruined City. Both love A Town Like Alice.

I’m listening to A Town at the moment, it’s so good. Mind you, it’s read by Robin Bailey and I could listen to him read à McDonalds menu and be quite happy.