Do you or have you read any Neville Shute Novels?

[winsor68]

 

"Most of my adult life, perhaps all the worth-while part of it, has been spent messing about with aeroplanes. Kenneth Grahame once wrote that 'there is nothing, absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.' With that I would agree yet for a fleeting period in the world's history I think that aeroplanes ran boats a very close second for enjoyment. For about 30 years there was a period when aeroplanes would fly when you wanted them to but there were still fresh things to be be learned on every flight, a period when aeroplanes were small and easily built so that experiments were cheap and new designs could fly within six months of the first glimmer in the mind of the designer. That halcyon period started about the year 1910 and it was in full flower when I was a young man; it died with the second war when aeroplanes had grown too costly and complicated for individuals to own or even to operate. I count myself lucky that that fleeting period coincided with my youth and my young manhood, and that I had a part in it.

 

Nevil Shute- "Slide Rule"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[djpacro]

No Highway is my favourite. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/24174201

 

 

[RKW]

Yes, read "Slide Rule". Great novel and true story! He also wrote "On the Beach", a depressing novel about nuclear war and the end of humanity!

 

 

[winsor68]

My favourite is "In the Wet"... deep.

 

 

[RKW]

Winsor, another great read is a novel by Ivan Southall titled "They shall not pass unseen" WWII Sunderland action around the Bay of Biscay. It recalls the sinking of U boat U461 by Australian squadron 461/u Sunderland . Unfortunately the book is out of print and second hand copies are as dear as poison. If you are fortunate enough to get hold of a copy, you won't be disappointed! Bob

 

 

[flindersflyer]

"A Town Like Alice", about a young Englishwoman in Malaya during World War II and in outback Australia post-war.

 

"Pied Piper", about an Englishman entrusted with the care of 2 children whilst on a fishing trip to France after the outbreak of WWII.

 

 

[Guest DJH]

Yes, proud to say I've read all of Neville Shute's books. Enjoyed 'em all, although " On The Beach " wasn't too uplifting.

 

His own life's story is just as interesting as his novels.

 

 

[naremman]

I have almost all of Neville Shute Norway's books sitting on the bookshelf, most of them collected from second hand bookshops when I was in the UK in 1976.

 

Probably the best story is the life story of the author, contained within his autobiography in "Slide Rule". His professional life is fascinating, and to use his knowlege to incorporate themes into his writings gives some great perspectives.

 

The novel I enjoyed the most was "Requiem for a Wren", which I recall first reading in the library at boarding school. Before the electronic era, those of us who had to find ways of whiling away the time on weekends whilst within the bounds of boarding school, often found our way to the library, and I was fortunate to access to a very good one. I still can't find a way to beat the joys that a book invariably gives.

 

I find it interesting that Norway's last years were spent in Australia, where he owned and flew a Percival Proctor. It would be interesting to hear from anyone who could provide any information of his time here.

 

 

[winsor68]

"Requiem for a Wren"... another brilliant story. Amazing how moving his story telling can be... and how matter of fact.

[DarkSarcasm]

My favourite is A Town Like Alice

 

On the Beach is probably second

 

 

[turboplanner]

Just bought Slide Rule - $16.95 new on Amazon.com

 

Plenty of stock.