Neville Shute

[mikey4444]

I am working my way through all of Shute's book and I finished one of his best, at about midnight last night.

"The Far Country"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Far_Country_(novel)

I read it first, about 30 years ago, but I had forgotten most of it. What a lovely book. Its a great pity that Shute is probably widely known for only 2-3 books, primarily for "A Town like Alice" but this one is a hidden gem. I would urge everyone to give it a go !

[Cloverjo]

The only book of his that I know is A Town Like Alice. It was always there in the library that I went to as a kid. I must read some of his books.

[Old_Geezer]

Never seem to find time to read fiction these days.
Maybe it's my attention span as i get older; or the old tired eyes. I rarely even finish a weekly magazine.
I do have an anthology of Shute's stories somewhere. Maybe I'll put it on the "to do" list.

[Cloverjo]

I can't read fiction nowadays, O_G, I lose concentration.

[agchristie]

'So many books,so little time'

Frank Zappa.

[mikey4444]

Jo....I can't recommend "The Far Country" enough !

Its difficult to find these in my local library, so I rely on second hand from ebay.

Most of Shute's books are romantic, but where is the harm in that ! If you don't have a moist eye when you have finished Far Country, then I am no judge !

His last few books were set in OZ ,as he emigrated here after the War.

"On the Beach" is also worth reading....well...they all are !

Can I also recommend one of his earlier ones "Pied Piper"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied_Piper_(novel)

I wish there were more authors like Shute around now....suburb story-tellers.

[mikey4444]

Agchristie....I never knew that quote was from Zappa !

Another saying that I like is "A Good Book is a Good Friend" although I am not sure who coined it......but I say it all the time !

[jno]

OG, I believe it's quite common that older people read much less fiction. Certainly true of me.

Several of Shute's novels were filmed.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0796009/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

[Old_Geezer]

Are you sure ? Never had one buy a round at the pub.

[Old_Geezer]

When I recall the amount of time i spent reading as a kid.

Well not being an extrovert, limited my time having to cope with new people. Reading was a world of interest and immersion.

Not like that any more; times change.

[mikey4444]

jno....actually, for me, at age 63, I find that I am reading more fiction now than before.

I went through a phase in my 40's and 50's, when I read a lot of biography, and travel books. I still enjoy Theroux, Thubron and Bryson.

But I am on a mission to read as many of these "forgotten" writers now, in my senior years.

And thoroughly enjoying it !

[Cloverjo]

I used to always have my nose stuck in a book as a kid, also not being an extrovert. I do read less now, but I buy books all the time. They're stacking up a bit now.

[Old_Geezer]

Snap. Although I do tend to avoid the bookshops now-a-days. House can not cope with more books.

[agchristie]

Mikey > I read a lot of biography, and travel books. I still enjoy Theroux, Thubron and Bryson.

Mikey,have you read Bryson's latest? I must admit,I was a bit disappointed.Part of his measure as to how good a new place was defined by whether it had a good book shop!

[mikey4444]

With you there OG ! I get most of my books second-hand and donate them to a charity shop when I have finished them.....still good reading but less guilt I suppose.

In the 1950's, my Grandmother has so many books that she used to store them in neat little piles, up the sides of the stairs. I recall this very acutely as I upset a pile and and they all cascaded down like dominoes....I was only about 7 at the time and I got a thick ear !

[Cloverjo]

I love Bill Bryson and have read all of his travel books, but he comes across as a bit of a grump in his latest one.

[mikey4444]

Jo.....if you mean "One Summer: America, 1927" I will agree with you.
I struggled to finish that, I must admit !

But one that I come back to every now and then is his popular science book,
"A Short History of Nearly Everything"

But his best is still probably "The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America".....when I was in America in 1991, I followed the book for 4 days, in New Hampshire and Vermont, staying in the same Motels and eating in the same cafes and restaurants ! They all had copies of his book !

Great fun !

[Cloverjo]

Mikey, I was thinking of the one with Little Dribbling or something like that in its title. I enjoyed the book, but he was a bit grumpy.
The one I struggled to finish was the Shakespeare book.

[mikey4444]

Actually, I haven't read that one, but I shall call into the Library this morning !

[mikey4444]

Jo....now in possession of the "Little Dribbling"....I shall report back !

[sddsddean]

Shute is one of my favourite authors. About 15 years ago, I borrowed (one at a time) all of his books from the library. I particularly like the 'technical' ones, written using his experiences in the RAF and engineering. Someone mentioned about films of his books. Many people have seen 'A Town Like Alice' with Virginia McKenna and Peter Finch, but I think most would be surprised to know that the end of the film is less than half way through the book! The whole point of why its called 'A Town like Alice' is lost unless you read the whole book!
My two favourites though are 'On the Beach' (good film too) and 'The Trustee from the Toolroom'...absolutely brilliant book...and would make a good film too!