Ginny's review
On the Beach
by Nevil Shute
Ginny, I love this book. Will be interested to know what you think when/if you get to it.
I've seen this book mentioned a number of times on goodreads. I scrolled down today and read the reviews and saw yours, which convinced me to add it. I'm going to try to give this a little bump towards the top of my reading list.
Get some kleenex ready. In only one place for me, but for others assume more places. It's not lighthearted. Although I do think parts are uplifting.
Edit: Actually, that's not true. It was more than once. But that one place does stand out in my mind.
Ginny's review
On the Beach by Nevil Shute
Ginny's review
rating:
An absolutely chilling account of the last days of the last people on earth after a nuclear war devastates the northern hemisphere and sends waves of radiation throughout the world. Inhabitants of southern Australia watch as radiation sickness makes its way steadily southward and the entire continents of South America and Africa “go out,” followed by cities in northern Australia.
In some ways the reactions of the various characters seem completely unbelievable as life goes on in a mostly eerily normal way. But this was written in the late 1950s, before the internet and 24-hour television news and it’s probably reasonable that many people could have chosen ignorance or denial of the situation. Still—all these scientists and high-level military types and no discussion of possible strategies for survival? It’s a riveting story, though, and I couldn’t put it down.
In some ways the reactions of the various characters seem completely unbelievable as life goes on in a mostly eerily normal way. But this was written in the late 1950s, before the internet and 24-hour television news and it’s probably reasonable that many people could have chosen ignorance or denial of the situation. Still—all these scientists and high-level military types and no discussion of possible strategies for survival? It’s a riveting story, though, and I couldn’t put it down.
Ginny, I love this book. Will be interested to know what you think when/if you get to it.
I've seen this book mentioned a number of times on goodreads. I scrolled down today and read the reviews and saw yours, which convinced me to add it. I'm going to try to give this a little bump towards the top of my reading list.
Get some kleenex ready. In only one place for me, but for others assume more places. It's not lighthearted. Although I do think parts are uplifting.
Edit: Actually, that's not true. It was more than once. But that one place does stand out in my mind.