A Town Like Alice | Nevil Shute | Straight to the Moon, Alice...

A Town Like Alice | Nevil Shute | One of my very favorites.

books:

A Town Like Alice

	A Town Like Alice Nevil Shute House of Stratus, 2002 - 359 pages average customer review:based on 63 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

"A harrowing, exciting, and in the end very satisfying war romance."
HARPER'S
A TOWN LIKE ALICE tells of a young woman who miraculously survived a Japanese "death march" in World War II, and of an Australian soldier, also a prisoner of war, who offered to help her--even at the cost of his life....

Straight to the Moon, Alice...

When is a love story not a romance novel? When is a book about Japanese POWs not a book about war? When it's A Town Like Alice. I've been a fan since seeing the Masterpiece Theater version about 20 years ago (after which I had to immediately run out and buy the book. There are lots of reviews posted here, so we don't need another rehash of the plot. Suffice it to say, if you are NOT a romantic, if you are NOT a fan of romance novels, this is a book for you. The context of WWII and Jean Paget's experiences as a prisoner of the Japanese ring with accuracy. Her prosaic life in London, her eventual return to Malaysia and journey to Australia don't stretch credulity. The romance between Jean and Joe, and even her shy Scottish attorney's feelings for Jean, are beautifully developed. It's just a wonderful read, and Neville Shute never wrote a better book (although he wrote many, many worse ones). There are two excellent filmed versions of a Town Like Alice. The Masterpiece Theater version stars Bryan Brown as Joe Harmon and Helen Morse as Jean Paget, with Gordon Jackson as Noel Strachen--a completely new and romantic turn for the actor I will always think of as Hudson-The-Butler. An earlier version with Peter Finch and Virginia McKenna is also very watchable. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Just read it. And then go out and rent the movies. Both of them. You have your orders, what are you waiting for??

for more information click here

One of my very favorites.

This book is one of my favorites. I have a old well used copy on my book shelf that I bought years ago. The first time I read this book I borrowed it from the local library and the name was "The Legacy". This was probably 30 yrs ago. I think I have probably read this book at least once a year since then. I don't think I have done that with any other book.

Entreprenuerial romance

If you only read the back of the book, you will believe it is much grimmer than it is. Only part of this book is about the war. Ther rest is about taking risks to acheive an equitable relationship. It is, in many ways, a very feminist romance novel. At no point do we feel like anyone needs anyone else.

Also, if you have a geek for small businesses, you should check it out.

If you loved this book, you might also investigate Nevil Shute's "Trustee from the Toolroom".

for more information click here

A Town Like Alice

Its a wonderful story, a good read! Book was a re-print tho and a few of the pages were out of order...but it did not detract from the story at all.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

products you might be interested in