On the Beach
by Nevil Shute
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Book Summary Information
Author: Nevil ShuteEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1998-08
ISBN: 0899683657
Number of pages: 250
Publisher: Buccaneer Books
Book Reviews of On the Beach
Book Review: Right and Wrong as the World Ends
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read this book in high school English a decade ago. I re-read it in the aftermath of 9/11 and the ensuing wars. It was a haunting read the first time around, but the Soviet threat was a dim memory for me as a child born in the 80s, and On The Beach seemed to illustrate just how lucky we were that the Iron Curtain fell and the Cold War ended. It was even more terrifying reading in the current decade, knowing the possibility of rogue nations or individuals unleashing a dirty bomb. Shute pointed out that when dealing with nuclear armaments, a small decision and mistake can have hugely terrifying consequences.
However, the political discussions and implications aside, On The Beach is most touching for the humanity side of the story. What would happen to society, to the concept of right and wrong, if everyone knew that the end was in sight? Incendiary topics such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide become hugely important issues. All of the characters understand the terrible end waiting them if they go by radiation poisoning, yet they still struggle with whether to take the pill or not.
You'll find yourself doing some self-questioning after you finish this book. What would you do if faced with the certainty that the world was ending? What are the important things in life if you don't have to worry about what future generations will think of you? Money, posessions, rivalries, grudges...
I cried myself silly after the first reading. The depth of the characters is sufficiently developed by the end that you feel their deaths strongly.
I took an underlying message of hope out of this book. I knew from the outset of the first reading that there was no means of survival for the characters. The characters knew there was no means of survival. But I kept hoping, and they kept making every effort to find hope and a chance for the future. We are stronger than we ever let ourselves imagine as a human race, we just need to ensure that we don't turn against ourselves as happened in On The Beach.
Summary of On the Beach
After the war is over, a radioactive cloud begins to sweep southwards on the winds, gradually poisoning everything in its path. An American submarine captain is among the survivors left sheltering in Australia, preparing with the locals for the inevitable. Despite his memories of his wife, he becomes close to a young woman struggling to accept the harsh realities of their situation. Then a faint Morse code signal is picked up, transmitting from the United States and the submarine must set sail through the bleak ocean to search for signs of life. "On the Beach" is Nevil Shute's most powerful novel. Both gripping and intensely moving, its impact is unforgettable.General Books
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