On the Beach Quotes

“It's not the end of the world at all," he said. "It's only the end for us. The world will go on just the same, only we shan't be in it. I dare say it will get along all right without us.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“No, it wasn't an accident, I didn't say that. It was carefully planned, down to the tiniest mechanical and emotional detail. But it was a mistake.”
― John Paxton, On the Beach

“I'm glad we haven't got newspapers now. It's been much nicer without them.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Some games are fun even when you lose. Even when you know you're going to lose before you start. It's fun just playing them.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Maybe we've been too silly to deserve a world like this.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“You know," he said, "now that I've got used to the idea, I think I'd rather have it this way. We've all got to die one day, some sooner and some later. The trouble always has been that you're never ready, because you don't know when it's coming. Well, now we do know, and there's nothing to be done about it. I kind of like that. I kind of like the thought that I'll be fit and well up till the end of August and then - home. I'd rather have it that way than go on as a sick man from when I'm seventy to when I'm ninety.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Maybe we've been too silly to deserve a world like this," he said.
The scientist said, "That's absolutely and precisely right.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“If what they say is right we're none of us going to have time to do all that we planned to do. But we can keep on doing it as long as we can.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“She lived in the dream world of unreality, or else she would not admit reality; he did not know. In any case, he loved her as she was. It might never be used, but it would give her pleasure to have it.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Security was now a thing of the past though it took a conscious effort to remember it; with no enemy in all the world there was little but the force of habit in it.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Mary looked at her gratefully. “Well, that’s what I think. I mean, I couldn’t bear to—to just stop doing things and do nothing. You might as well die now and get it over.” Moira nodded. “If what they say is right, we’re none of us going to have time to do all that we planned to do. But we can keep on doing it as long as we can.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“I want to drink hard liquor, as you call it, before lunch. I've got a mouth like the bottom of the parrot's cage. You wouldn't want me to throw a screaming fit in front of all your officers.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“The news did not trouble her particularly; all news was bad, like wage demands, strikes, or war, and the wise person paid no attention to it. What was important was that it was a bright, sunny day; her first narcissi were in bloom, and the daffodils behind them were already showing flower buds.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“You could have done something with newspapers. We didn't do it. No nation did, because we were all too silly. We liked our newspapers with pictures of beach girls and headlines about cases of indecent assault, and no Government was wise enough to stop us having them that way. But something might have been done with newspapers, if we'd been wise enough.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“All those cities, all those fields and farms, with nobody, and nothing left alive. Just nothing there. I simply can't take it in.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Into the world of romance, of make-belief and double brandies!”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“disconsolate”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Don’t worry—it may never happen.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Moira nodded. “If what they say is right, we’re none of us going to have time to do all that we planned to do. But we can keep on doing it as long as we can.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“You know, you’re a very lucky man.” “Why do you say that?”
“You’ve got a full-time job to do.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Only the drunks remained, reeling down the pavements aimlessly or lying down to sleep.”
― Nevil Shute Norway, On The Beach

“She had known for some time that his wife and family were very real to him, more real by far than the half-life in a far corner of the world that had been forced upon him since the war.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“Here they go cruising for a fortnight up in parts where everyone is dead of radiation, and all that they can catch is measles!”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“She nodded, and moved towards the door. “I’ll turn this top light out. Don’t stay up too long. Sure you’ve got everything you want?” “Sure, honey,” he said. “I’ve got everything now.” “Good night,” she said. She closed the door behind her. He lay for some time in the firelight thinking of Sharon and of Helen, of bright summer days and tall ships at Mystic, of Helen leaping on the Pogo stick on the swept sidewalk with the piles of snow on either hand, of this girl and her kindness. Presently he drifted into sleep, one hand upon the Pogo stick beside him.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“I couldn’t bear to—to just stop doing things and do nothing. You might as well die now and get it over.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“I mean, why waste time in sleeping?” She laughed, a little shrilly. “Just doesn’t make sense.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach

“We left a bicycle at the station this morning. If you do the right thing by me I won’t be able to ride it, but it’s there, anyway.”
― Nevil Shute Norway, On The Beach

“It’s not the end of the world at all,” he said. “It’s only the end of us. The world will go on just the same, only we shan’t be in it. I dare say it will get along all right without us.” Dwight Towers raised his head. “I suppose that’s right. There didn’t seem to be much wrong with Cairns, or Port Moresby either.” He paused, thinking of the flowering trees that he had seen on shore through the periscope, cascaras and flame trees, the palms standing in the sunlight. “Maybe we’ve been too silly to deserve a world like this,” he said. The scientist said, “That’s absolutely and precisely right.” There didn’t seem to be much more to say upon that subject, so they went up on to the bridge for a smoke, in the sunlight and fresh air.”
― Nevil Shute, On the Beach