Why did I read 'On The Beach'?

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Saw a recommendation here and thought it sounds just up my street.

It's the saddest book I've ever read :(

I dreamt about it last night (was up to the last chapter) and haven't been able to get it out of my head today. I just finished it it. Waaaaaah

So sad :(

I've had the book on the shelf for years, but still haven't read it. I did, however, really enjoy ( if that's the right word?) the film. Anthony Perkins and Gregory Peck iirc.

Not heard of 'Blue Remembered Earth.' Off to google!

Somehow, an island full of people in denial about imminent death doesn't make a good book, imho. You would expect at least some of them to have their act together and fight for their lives. At least parents of small children should have the instinct to effing do something to save the lives of their precious babies.

I think they didn't fight back because they had become like rabbits frozen in headlights.
They did drink quite a lot though!

The characters are very much like those portrayed in 1950s films, all chivalrous and stiff upper lipped.

I read it at about 13 and skipped pretty much all but the bits about the family. I do remember that it's quite patronizing towards the mother though.

I hadn't either Remus, dh said it was in the guardian or something. It was quite a brave purchase for him!

Strangely I came across On the Beach the other day in a pile of unread books at my parents' house - must give it a go! I loved Never Let Me Go thought it was the saddest book, especially the idea they are eventually kept in a sort of twilight half dead state to get the last possible use out of them - that really gave me the shivers! Love these threads for suggestions! :)

I've got 'Stranger In A Strange Land' on my to read pile.

All of them? Frozen like rabbits in the headlights? What a rubbish premise for a book - global apocalypse and the last humans on Earth are... frozen like bunnies in the headlights

How about when they are talking about a couple and this woman says "I hope they get married and have children". When told how unlikely that is with, you know, certain death in September, she replies:

" Oh dear, I keep forgetting ."

Really?!?

Loved On the Beach; love Never Let Me Go even more - pretty much one of my favourite books. Very much like Oryx & Crake and The Year of the Flood even more so. Can't wait for the last in that trilogy.

I totally get the paralysis of characters in death-impending situations, the stupidity, yes, and the inescapable element of it. That was the point of Ishiguro - our boundness to a limited lifespan.

I read Stranger In A Strange Land in my teens and loved it. Not sure if I would like it now, though. There are a few interesting ideas in it (at least for a bookish liberal-minded teenager) but it is likely to get your back up with its American right-wing "women's role is this and that" business.

You see, Remus? People who love Never Let Me Go are the ones who love On The Beach

I know absolutely nothing about it, so will go in with a v open mind.

But I like 'On The Beach' and hate 'Never Let Me Go' - so ner! :)

Just trying to point out that you are on the wrong side here

:) Have you read, 'A Town Like Alice?' If not, I think you and Kitten should read it at the same time and both report back.

There's a huge "Apocalyptic Fiction" thread here somewhere where we all had a right wallow in despair and disaster and On The Beach came up iirc. I love it, it's one of my favourite books of all time, and I just howl like a baby every time I read it

Jajas I think my book club would agree with you.

Pmsl, Jajas. :)

I watched Cloud Atlas and frankly wasn't that impressed despite some interesting ideas the directors have come up with. Their mix-matching of scenes from different stories together has made it impossible for anyone who hasn't read the book to understand the movie, imho.

Is Stranger in a Strange Land the Heinlein novel or is there another one?