Product Description

Jean Paget has survived World War II as a prisoner of the Japanese in Malaya. After the war she comes into an inheritance that enables her to return to Malaya to repay the villagers who helped her to survive. But her return visit changes her life again, when she discovers that an Australian soldier she thought had died has survived. She goes to Australia in search of him and of the town he described to her. Jean sets out to apply the same determination that helped her to survive the war, to turning the community into 'a town like Alice'. She finds both her soldier and romance.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5111 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-18
• Binding: Paperback
• 359 pages

About the Author
Nevil Shute Norway worked as an aeronautical engineer at Vickers before setting up his own airship company. He served in both world wars and was a commander in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in World War II, working on secret projects. He flew his own aircraft to Australia to research On the Beach, before settling there permanently. His books are based on his own wartime and aircraft industry experiences.

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable war-time romance
This is the first Nevil Shute book I've read and I really enjoyed it. It's hard to believe it's based on a true story, which makes it seem all the madder. What Jean Paget does to survive the war is amazing and I think Nevil Shute has captured the essence of this true story in an excellent way. You won't be disappointed with this book. It's a great read - perfect holiday material!

Wonderful entrancing and yet down to earth.
I have read and reread this book over many years. Once you become a fan of Nevil Shute you will want to read all his books. Take it on holiday and give it your all. Let yourself be submersed in the period; a different age to now with a different style of hero. This story is of ordinary people, with an extrarordinary tale to tell. A meeting of 2 people, both victims of the Japanese, who fall in love under the harshest of conditions and then do it all over again, 6 years later when the war is over. Read it more than once to get the full benefit.And then go onto read more from the famous author, who had so many qualities and gifts. How could he be an engineer, serve in secret operations in the war, be a sailor and a pilot and go on long distance air ship travel, as well as write all these novels.

zero emotion
I have enjoyed a couple of Neville Shute's books. He was of course a gifted author, and he wrote quite beautifully. My one problem with this book is that although the events being described are extremely emotive, Shute leaves you to do all the feeling. The characters are pretty emotionless. And maybe that is what it was after the war. Even so, it really grated.

If you want to hark back to the days of overt racism, and romanticised descriptions of Australian outback farming then you'll love it.

It's not without merit - a well written, slightly heartwarming tale of practical common sense and Brief Encounter style love (without the heart), set in the forties, but I suspect not very appealing to many under 40s.