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Nevil Shute: On The Beach
- Thread starter Kookamoor
- Start date
Mari
New Member
I found this book affecting, and I recommend it. As you probably know from the TV version, it isn't about the horrors of nuclear war, but a study of a set of characters in a world where everyone is going to die at the same time in the near future. There is very little action, and the writing was level, but I cared about the characters and followed them to their end.
The book certainly depended on a Cold War end-of-the-world scenario, and it does have political points to make, but they do not overwhelm the story and the characters.
The author was writing in England, and I don't think he captured anything characteristically Australian about the people or setting, though you may be able to tell more about that than I. To me, it felt more like England or even America.
It's a classic. I do think everyone should try it.
P.S. If you like that kind of post-nuclear-war thing, a classic American version is Alas Babylon.
The book certainly depended on a Cold War end-of-the-world scenario, and it does have political points to make, but they do not overwhelm the story and the characters.
The author was writing in England, and I don't think he captured anything characteristically Australian about the people or setting, though you may be able to tell more about that than I. To me, it felt more like England or even America.
It's a classic. I do think everyone should try it.
P.S. If you like that kind of post-nuclear-war thing, a classic American version is Alas Babylon.
Kookamoor
New Member
I'm not sure - I shall clearly have to read it. It may have been watching the TV version, which was filmed largely in my city, Melbourne, which affected me so much. This is somewhat what I wish to establish through this thread. I actually saw part of the filming by chance outside my work - people fleeing everywhere in front of the main train station. I'm curious how much the book captured the 'local' aspect, I guess.Mari said:
I'm clearly going to have to read it myself. What made me think of this was the other thread about apocalyptic books, and I wondered if anyone else was affected by them - hence the reason I'm jumping the gun a bit with this thread before I read the book.
lenny nero
New Member
I love this book! I think the movie was done very well also. I would love to see the above mentioned mini-series as this is the first time that I've heard of it. I was in my early teens, back in the mid 80's, when all of those nuclear war movies came out, e.g., The Day After, Testament, and my personal fave, Threads. I read a lot of those 'world coming to an end' books back then. I would also recommend, Alas, Babylon and add, Larry Niven's Lucifer's Hammer to the list.
Kookamoor
New Member
Looking back through this old thread and I guess I missed Lenny's post the first time around. I just checked, and the miniseries is available through Amazon (here). I guess they just released it this year. It's the Bryan Brown version, in case you were wondering - IMDB summary.lenny nero said:
Nevil Shute - On the Beach
This has got to be one of the most depressing books I have ever read. Very interesting, though. At first, the behaviour of the characters seemed unrealistic. But then I started to ask myself: just how would I cope in this situation?
Those of you who have read the book will know what I am on about. Those of you who haven’t – I’d recommend that you put it on your TBR list. It certainly made me think.
This is the back cover blurb:
Australia is one of the last places where life still exists after nuclear war starts in the Northern Hemisphere. A year on, an invisible cloak of radiation has spread almost completely around the world. Darwin is a ghost town, and radiation levels at Ayres Rock are increasing. An American nuclear-powered submarine has found its way to Australia where its captain has placed the boat under the command of the Australian Navy. Commander Dwight Towers and his Australian liaison officer are sent to the coast of North America to discover whether a stray radio signal originating from near Seattle is a sign of life.
This is the basic story, yes, but there’s a lot more to this book if you have the gumption to get yourself inside the minds of the characters.
The only thing that bugged me was the lack of appropriate breaks in the chapters: the sudden jumps from scene to scene were sometimes confusing. A break on the page would have made all the difference.
This has got to be one of the most depressing books I have ever read. Very interesting, though. At first, the behaviour of the characters seemed unrealistic. But then I started to ask myself: just how would I cope in this situation?
the end of the world as we know it, guys and gals
This is the back cover blurb:
Australia is one of the last places where life still exists after nuclear war starts in the Northern Hemisphere. A year on, an invisible cloak of radiation has spread almost completely around the world. Darwin is a ghost town, and radiation levels at Ayres Rock are increasing. An American nuclear-powered submarine has found its way to Australia where its captain has placed the boat under the command of the Australian Navy. Commander Dwight Towers and his Australian liaison officer are sent to the coast of North America to discover whether a stray radio signal originating from near Seattle is a sign of life.
This is the basic story, yes, but there’s a lot more to this book if you have the gumption to get yourself inside the minds of the characters.
The only thing that bugged me was the lack of appropriate breaks in the chapters: the sudden jumps from scene to scene were sometimes confusing. A break on the page would have made all the difference.
pontalba
Well-Known Member
Its been many years since I read On The Beach, and yes it was depressing in a way, but the interaction of the characters were not depressing in the least. As I recall it, the best seemed to be brought in most of them.
And lenny nero I agree with you about Larry Niven's Lucifer's Hammer , it was an excellent read. Haven't read Alas, Babylon though.
And lenny nero I agree with you about Larry Niven's Lucifer's Hammer , it was an excellent read. Haven't read Alas, Babylon though.
lenny nero
New Member
Alas, Babylon is almost like a hopeful response to On the Beach, you should check it out, it's very good. Another one that I read recently was Earth Abides, which I believe came out before all of the above books. It's very good too.
Alas, Babylon is excellent. Read it if you're into that kind of thing.
Yes, I can see what you're saying, Pontalba. The interaction was interesting. A bit, perhaps, like listening to what people sometimes consider to be 'depressing' music: it can be uplifting.
Earth Abides is on my list.
Yes, I can see what you're saying, Pontalba. The interaction was interesting. A bit, perhaps, like listening to what people sometimes consider to be 'depressing' music: it can be uplifting.
Earth Abides is on my list.
lenny nero
New Member
I just watched this mini series, courtesy of Netflix, and thought it was a good updating of the novel, even if they changed quite a bit of the character's relations to one another. Rachel Ward was great as Moira. Even though I knew how it ended, it was still depressing as always. Thanks for the recommendation.
saliotthomas
New Member
I just finished it and didn't liked it that much.The apocaliptic side is under exploted and the love stories are draging a lot.A special mention to Dwite Tower(one of the charactere) for absolute stiffness and moronnisme.All the characteres were caricatures.I hated it.And it's doubly bad because i have to desagree with one of B&R heros Lenny nero,whom i usualy follow the advices like a blind man.I was actualy swearing at the book because i still wanted to know the end and was poorly rewarded.
beer good
Well-Known Member
Damnit, now I'm going to have to re-read it to see if I still love it as much as I did the first time.
From what I remember, I do agree that On The Beach can seem a little too... clean by today's standards. The world is ending, but most people seem to take it a little too well (though there are some scenes in there that hint at the anguish people must be going through - Australia's last Grand Prix turning into a voluntary demolition derby, f ex) and people are just a little too heroic at times. Mad Max this ain't. (People wanting a slightly more acidic take on a similar idea might want to check out Burgess' End of the World News.) But still, I loved the idea of mankind having basically accepted that it's over, that there's nothing they can do but wait, and just try to live in whichever way makes the wait bearable.
Also, damn you lenny nero for mentioning Testament.
I still can't think about that film without getting something in my eye.
From what I remember, I do agree that On The Beach can seem a little too... clean by today's standards. The world is ending, but most people seem to take it a little too well (though there are some scenes in there that hint at the anguish people must be going through - Australia's last Grand Prix turning into a voluntary demolition derby, f ex) and people are just a little too heroic at times. Mad Max this ain't. (People wanting a slightly more acidic take on a similar idea might want to check out Burgess' End of the World News.) But still, I loved the idea of mankind having basically accepted that it's over, that there's nothing they can do but wait, and just try to live in whichever way makes the wait bearable.
Also, damn you lenny nero for mentioning Testament.
I still can't think about that film without getting something in my eye.
lenny nero
New Member
Testament is a gut wrencher. I still prefer Threads, though.