A Town Like Alice
3 journalers for this copy...
Pre-numbered label used for registration.
Thank you for picking up this book. I'd love to see an entry letting me know it is safe with you. Do with it as you please... read it (or not!), give it to a friend, keep it, leave it in the wild - it's up to you! Enjoy! If you like you can mention me, booklady331, as the one who referred you.
Thank you for picking up this book. I'd love to see an entry letting me know it is safe with you. Do with it as you please... read it (or not!), give it to a friend, keep it, leave it in the wild - it's up to you! Enjoy! If you like you can mention me, booklady331, as the one who referred you.
Written in stylistically simple language and tempered with mature description of elderly perception, Nevil Shute's narrative account of an elderly solicitor's (Noel Strachan) account of a young British woman's life of pain and fortune is a worthwhile read. I enjoyed the first part of the book more than the last.
Although entitled "A Town Like Alice" (It was originally entitled "The Legacy"), the book is really about a town like Jean. A hard working single woman, Jean is the backbone behind the development of the town. She is one of a few survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March in Malaya (Shute admits in postscript that Sumatra was the true historical location of the same) who becomes famous among the people for her leading the pack of women and children to safety in a town where they spend a couple of years laboring in the rice fields.
"People who spent the war in prison camps have written a lot of books about what a bad time they had . . . They don't know what it was like, not being in a camp," says Jean of her account to Noel.
In her adventure, Jean meets a red-necked Aussie cowboy, Joe Harman, whose boyish charm and masculine build are both attractive and cute. Roughing the outback made Joe strong enough to withstand the worst torture. He lived. But in the worlds of Jean and Joe, no one knew the other lived through the war. Through happenstance each discovers the other is alive and single, and through paradox, they ship to the other's continent to meet. The section is predictable.
Jean sees the small and extremely abandoned town Joe has made home, and is saddened. But, she wishes to marry and live with him in his world. So, she industriously engages in changing his little town in an energetic manner akin to the great powers she used to withstand the rattan march. Amazingly, she saved dozens of lives in the Malayan march. More amazingly, she changes the complexion and character of the tiny, characterless town to become a "town like Alice." That small habitat grows threefold in less than five years. Jean is the miracle of the town.
Although entitled "A Town Like Alice" (It was originally entitled "The Legacy"), the book is really about a town like Jean. A hard working single woman, Jean is the backbone behind the development of the town. She is one of a few survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March in Malaya (Shute admits in postscript that Sumatra was the true historical location of the same) who becomes famous among the people for her leading the pack of women and children to safety in a town where they spend a couple of years laboring in the rice fields.
"People who spent the war in prison camps have written a lot of books about what a bad time they had . . . They don't know what it was like, not being in a camp," says Jean of her account to Noel.
In her adventure, Jean meets a red-necked Aussie cowboy, Joe Harman, whose boyish charm and masculine build are both attractive and cute. Roughing the outback made Joe strong enough to withstand the worst torture. He lived. But in the worlds of Jean and Joe, no one knew the other lived through the war. Through happenstance each discovers the other is alive and single, and through paradox, they ship to the other's continent to meet. The section is predictable.
Jean sees the small and extremely abandoned town Joe has made home, and is saddened. But, she wishes to marry and live with him in his world. So, she industriously engages in changing his little town in an energetic manner akin to the great powers she used to withstand the rattan march. Amazingly, she saved dozens of lives in the Malayan march. More amazingly, she changes the complexion and character of the tiny, characterless town to become a "town like Alice." That small habitat grows threefold in less than five years. Jean is the miracle of the town.
Journal Entry 3 by 
booklady331
at By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, January 10, 2010
booklady331 at By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, January 10, 2010
Released 14 yrs ago (1/10/2010 UTC) at By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Enjoy! a 1001 must read book. to ciloma as a surprise RABCK. This book is on her wishlist. Enjoy.
Enjoy! a 1001 must read book. to ciloma as a surprise RABCK. This book is on her wishlist. Enjoy.
This was part of a twofer that came in the mail today. Thanx a bunch!!
Such a wonderful story. I was especially taken with the prisoner march. This book sucked me in and kept my attention throughout. Miss Paget was one industrious woman!
Journal Entry 6 by ciloma at Wishlist RABCK, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, June 23, 2018
Released 5 yrs ago (6/23/2018 UTC) at Wishlist RABCK, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On it's way to valpete
Wow! Another great book! So little time, so many books.
