Book Description:
"They are the last generation, the innocent victims of an accidental war, living out their last days, making do with what they have, hoping for a miracle. As the deadly rain moves ever closer, the world as we know it winds toward an inevitable end...."






Amazon Review:
"On the Beach tells the story of the aftermath of an all-out nuclear war. The setting is Australia, one of the few places in the world to escape not only the bombs, but the deadly clouds of radioactive fallout from the war. But they'll only survive for a little while, because the global wind currents are slowly pushing the deadly fallout down to Antarctica. The Aussies only have a short time before they all come down with radiation sickness and die. The whole book is an emotional rollercoaster as the dreaded day of death looms ever closer, with absolutely nothing to prevent doom. Most people are resigned to their fate, and try and stay busy with various daily rituals in an effort to keep their sanity.

The two main characters of the book are Dwight Towers, a U.S. submarine commander who has survived the war and is in refuge in Australia, and Moira Davidson, a young Australian girl who is bitter about her fate and seeks consolation with Dwight. Other characters are introduced, such as a young couple with a baby and a scientist who likes racing cars. The reader is quickly drawn into these people's lives, and really comes to care about what happens to them. Needless to say, the ending isn't warm and cheery. I had to stop reading the book several times and take a little break to get rid of the huge lump in my throat. It is a VERY tough read at the end. If you don't get emotional, you just might be dead."

Sending to livrecache as one of a number in a 3kg baggie.

Thanks, crimson-tide: This is a book I've always thought about reading, and now I can!

Um, well, that was a totally dispiriting read, although I'm glad to have read it. Nevil Shute has always aggravated me with his treatment of the 'fairer sex' and he didn't disappoint this time. But then, that was the era. But it was just so sad! I actually recall now that I had read it before in my younger days, and I just howled my eyes out as it seemed so real. Now of course it's global warming not being bombed out of existence that is society's fear. Either way . . .

Controlled release to Surprise Book Bag.

Taken from the surprise fiction bookbag. I'm journalling them all here with me, and may start the next round in the coming weeks.

Nuclear war takes out the whole of the Northern Hemisphere, leaving the fallout to slowly creep down the Southern Hemisphere and kill the remaining people. This is set in Australia and tells of the last few months of a few individuals.

Emotive, moving story. Simply heartbreaking. These characters are written so well ... these people are my uncle, my father, my sisters, and my friends. I know all these people. This book is so eerily accurate - I read a fair bit of post-apocalyptic stuff, and this has got to be by far the most accurate as to what would actually happen, how people would actually behave. And it made me cry. Quite a bit.

"This is the way the world ends/Not with a bang but with a whimper." - TS Eliot

Given to RockDad.

Released as a part of The The Release Challenge.