Set against the brutal chaos of world war ii, a love story begins that will take two lovers through a living nightmare of captivity, across three continents and two decades. Originally broadvast as 6 x 30 min episodes, the bbc have at some time rebroadcast this as 4 x 45 min episodes. Nevil shute a tale of love and war, follows its enterprising heroine from malayan jungle during world war ii to the rugged australian outback. The subject matter can be tough, women and children, prisoners of. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of a town like alice by nevil shute. More to come in the future, drop a comment, leave a like and let us know what you think. After they are liberated she emigrates to australia to be with him. A town like alice is one of my favorite books by nevil shute so i was pleased that masterpiece theater did such a believable job when they filmed it.
A town like alice takes place in england, malaysia and australia. Nevil shutes most beloved novel, a tale of love and war, follows its enterprising heroine from the malayan jungle during world war ii to. From the steamy jungles of malaya to the dusty and desolate outback of australia. A town like alice 1980 an englishwoman helen morse and an australian prisoner of war bryan brown meet on malaya, then reunite after world war ii. A town like alice is narrated by a london attorney, noel strachan, who. A town like alice, more than any other work, reveals shutes feelings about australia. Sep 02, 2007 just a quick tour of the town i love in the middle of nowhere. Also subscribe for updates and new songs hold up your hands bow down your. A town like alice topics for discussion nevil shute this study guide consists of approximately 63 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of a town like alice. Discussion questions for a town like alice by nevil shute galesburg public library tuesday book club november 2006 1. It has some bittersweet moments, as well as a little bit of romance.
With helen morse, bryan brown, gordon jackson, dorothy alison. Nevil shutes most beloved novel, a tale of love and war, foll. It just tells about life, during the war, and how it. A town like alice from season 1 at join sign up keep track of your favorite shows and movies, across all your devices. Download nevil shutes a town like alice for your kindle, tablet, ipad, pc or mobile. Based on nevil shutes international bestselling novel a town like alice. During the second world war he joined the royal navy volunteer reserve where he worked on developing secret weapons. Utterly deserved of its place in the bbcs big read, i will forever remember this heartwarming read, and maybe one day ill get around to reading more of my. A town like alice appears to be a war novel on the surface, being published in 1950, but it was written when he was presumably doing some traveling in southeast asia and australia. In 1981, a town like alice was adapted into a popular television miniseries, starring helen morse and bryan brownwith the late gordon jackson as noel strachan. Britishaustralian author nevil shutes historical romance novel a town like alice. About a town like alice nevil shutes most beloved novel, a tale of love and war, follows its enterprising heroine from the malayan jungle during world war ii to the rugged australian outback. A town like alice is one of those books i love beyond reason. Suffice to say a town like alice is one of the most beautiful, captivating books ive ever read and i will be eternally grateful to my wonderful dad for insisting that i read it.
A town like alice has all the ingredients for a most remarkable book. It takes nevil shute a long time in this novel to get around to the town of alice alice springs actually, and even longer to get around to the town like alice. No highway a town like alice on the beach by nevil shute. A town like alice is narrated by a london attorney, noel strachan, who oversees a trust that is bestowed on a young woman, jean paget, that he must oversee, at her late uncles behest, until she turns 35. Answered questions 7 i see there is a miniseries from 1981 based on this and a movie from 2012 with peter finch. One of my two favorite shute books is a town like alice a k a the legacy. First published in book form as a town like alice, london. The first part of the story occurs during world war ii. A town like alice rape of malaya 1956 rotten tomatoes. A town like alice is a finely crafted novel that really just tells a story. A town like alice pied piper the far country the chequer board no highway by nevil shute. A town like alice is a romance novel by nevil shute, published in 1950 when shute had newly.
People who spent the war in prison camps have written a lot of books. The book cover archive is edited and maintained by ben pieratt and eric jacobsen. A town like alice a 1950s exciting story, of a woman who has such success, vision, courage and determination. A newly wealthy english woman returns to malaya to build a well for the villagers who helped her during war. A town like alicenevil shutefree downloadpdf epubfreeditorial. Whose baby does jean care for during her march as a prisoner. Its a classic and shock its not on more must read book list.
The film does not follow the whole novel, concluding at the end of part two and truncating or omitting much detail. Exlibrary, with usual stamps and markings, in poor. A town like alice the greatest literature of all time. He clearly loved travel and people from all walks of life and cultures. Boekverslag engels a town like alice door nevil shute 5e klas vwo. Both tell the story of rather uncomplicated people, setting out to change a corner of the world and succeeding. It contains courage, determination when the odds are against you, and taking action to change others lives and the world around you for the better.
This macmillan collectors library edition features an afterword by bestselling novelist jenny colgan. The first half deals with the history of jean paget, in which we follow her to malaya under the japanese occupation. The book was a delightful read, and id suggest it as a perfect summer beach read if you are so inclined. Jul 21, 2012 a town like alice written by nevil shute ballentine books 1950 carrie chose julys selection and the night was cohosted at megans place all.
Jean paget, a young englishwoman living in malaya, is captured by the invading japanese and forced on a brutal sevenmonth death march with dozens of. Britishaustralian author nevil shutes historical romance novel a town like alice 1950 is about jean paget, a young englishwoman who becomes romantically interested in a fellow prisoner of world war ii being held in british malaya. Of course, that is the basic theme of many of shutes books. May contain inscriptions but text pages will be free from markings. A town like alice study guide ch 610 a town like alice most appropriately conforms to the genre of the sociological novel. A harrowing wwii drama that was a huge critical and commercial success in england, this british production was based on a novel by nevil shute. During the war, a group of prisoners, mostly women. His most celebrated novels include pied piper 1942, a town like alice 1950, and on the beach 1957. Years ago, i saw the australian miniseries of this novel, and was enthralled. Nevil shutes most beloved novel, a tale of love and war, follows its enterprising heroine from the malayan jungle during world war ii to the. Its amazing story of the strength of women surviving against all odds. What is joes dying request of the japanese commander.
Jean paget, a young englishwoman, becomes romantically interested in a fellow prisoner of world war ii in malaya, and after liberation emigrates to australia to be with him, where she attempts, by investing her substantial financial inheritance, to. Probably more people have shed tears over the last page of a town like alice than about any other novel in the english language remarkable john ezard. Jun 16, 2015 however, i had never read a town like alice 1950 by nevil shute until a few weeks ago. A town like alice by nevil shute norway penguin books australia. The level and depth of his writing in alice shows that he was indeed learning to draw upon his own experiences to create critically acclaimed works. About the book a town like alice, a novel written in 1950, is intertwined with romance and economic development. You will read a town like alice and fall in love with shutes writing. This book is so well written that i can feel the stones in the road as jean marches along with the other women in their death march. What work do jean and the other british women do following their march until the end of the war. A town like alice is a novel by the australian author nevil shute. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
A town like alice has been such an intriguing read. A town like alice is a 1956 british drama film produced by joseph janni and starring virginia mckenna and peter finch that is based on the 1950 novel by nevil shute. I even bought the book 2 years ago, with its lovely reprinted cover. The building of the new town in australia is only a minor part of a town like alice, just the climax really of a very long story arc. Shortly after his first visit, shute decided to move there. That part of nevil shutes story is somewhat historically correct. Exlibrary, with usual stamps and markings, in poor condition, suitable as a reading copy. The legacy is a romance novel by nevil shute, published in 1950 when shute had newly settled in australia. After the war he continued to write and settled in australia where he lived until his death in 1960. A tale of love and war, follows its enterprising heroine from malayan jungle during world war ii to the rugged australian outback. Jean paget, an adolescent englishwoman, becomes romantically involved with a fellow wwii prisoner, joe harmon, in malaya now the western portion of malaysia. This version of a town like alice the second adapted screen offering of the 1950 novel by the english author nevil shute.
To ask other readers questions about a town like alice, please sign up. Unfortunately it appears that the original in not available on kindle. A town like alice aka the legacy tells of a young woman who miraculously survived a wartime japanese death march, and an australian soldier, also a prisoner of war, who offered to help her even at the cost of his life. Unfortunately it appears that the original in not available on kindle possibly in some other format tho. First published serially in two installments in womans home companion, n. One of my two favorite shute books is a town like alice aka the legacy. A town like alice by nevil shute, first edition abebooks. Published in 1950 when shute had recently settled into australia, a town like alice tells the story of jean paget in post world war ii london, who unexpectedly comes into an inheritance from her deceased uncle. It was published in 1950, and reflects the bias and prejudices of its time, but its also a powerful book about a smart, tough, resourceful young woman. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not. A town like alice by nevil shute smart bitches, trashy books. A town like alice vintage international shute, nevil on. I come back to it time and again, whenever i need to lose myself in the heat of malaysia or the dust of australia. The book portrays a community and how it deals with the changes due to world conflicts.
She is informed of this windfall by solicitor noel strachan, from. The writing had an easy flow to it and the story was certainly gripping, even though this decidedly is a book of two halves. A heartrending story of strength in adversity, a town like alice by nevil shute is a celebration of. A town like alice, nevil shutes novel of the japanese occupation of malaya during world war ii, was first filmed as a theatrical feature in 1956. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text. Nevil shute writes every character with quiet kindness and intelligence. What makes a town like alice such a great book to read is the completion of an interesting and complex storyline. A town like alice is a classic romance among other things, by nevil shute. A town like alice by nevil shute reading guidebook club. A town like alice questions temp galesburg public library.
Town like alice by nevil shute and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A heartrending story of strength in adversity, a town like alice is a celebration of the overwhelming power of love. Read any nevil shute book you can get your hands on. A town like alice by nevil shute and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Its very well cast with helen morse and bryan brown in the major roles and gordon jackson perfect as the sympathetic narrator. A town like alice the far country on the beach by nevil shute. I wanted to know where the movie had come from, as books are usually better than movies, and i had forgotten much of the plot. This is someones juniorhighrewrite summary of the book, not even as good as the. Out of an english girls faith in humanity and an australian pows quiet courage comes a harrowing, exciting and very satisfying war romance. The book cover archive, for the appreciation and categorization of excellence in book cover design. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers. Set in both malaysia and then the australian outback, its easy to see why a town like alice is so well known and a classic. Macmillan collectors library are books to love and treasure. With virginia mckenna, peter finch, kenji takaki, tran van khe. A town like alice tells the story of a plucky young englishwoman who becomes a legend in malaya during world war ii, inherits a fortune, marries her true love, and wisely uses her money to transform an australian ghost town into a thriving community.
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