Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute was a British-Australian novelist and aeronautical engineer. Born on January 17, 1899, in London, England, he published 24 novels and an autobiography between 1924 and 1960. Some of his most famous works include 'A Town Like Alice' and 'On the Beach'. Shute's novels often featured elements of technology and engineering, reflecting his professional background, and were known for their humanistic themes and warm, understated narrative style. He passed away on January 12, 1960, in Melbourne, Australia.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. A Town Like Alice
"A Town Like Alice" is a novel about a young Englishwoman, who is captured by Japanese forces during World War II and forced to march with other women and children across Malaya. During her ordeal, she meets an Australian prisoner of war, whom she later seeks out in Australia after the war. With the help of an unexpected inheritance, she uses her entrepreneurial spirit to transform a desolate Australian town into a thriving community, similar to a quaint English village she once knew, hence creating a 'town like Alice'.
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2. On The Beach
"On The Beach" is a post-apocalyptic novel that takes place in Australia following a devastating nuclear war. The story follows a group of individuals living in the last remaining city, awaiting their inevitable demise as deadly radiation slowly makes its way towards them. As they confront their mortality, they grapple with the existential dread of living in a world without a future, while also finding solace and connection in their shared experiences.
