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I’ve read a handful of books that have made me cry. The Road, The Clan of the Cave Bear, The Reapers are the Angels, and The Woman who Loved Reindeer are just a few. I should have known I’d be adding On the Beach to this list. It was a harrowing journey into the minds of a community who knew their days were numbered. I had to put the book down about three quarters of the way through–I couldn’t go any further. The pain, the denial, the heartache and the multitude of other feelings swirling through its pages make it stand out as one of the best in classic post-apocalyptic literature. Shute’s vision of the last days–how we might all react and cope–is chilling.
I was planning to watch the movie with Richard Peck, Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire, but it will have to wait till those characters are not so near my heart. If you like this genre of fiction, as I do, and have not read the classics, you are missing out!
I read On the Beach as part of my own personal challenge to read Classic Post-Apocalypse Fiction. Next up is The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.
Amanda Makepeace's Imagination Run Amok 
Do you mean to tell me that you didn’t finish the book??? I’m nor sure if I’m reading you right.
I can well imagine how taut the drama is in that book because of my experience with another by Shute titled ‘A Town Called Alice.’ Excellent and full of the best kind of emotional drama.
I was quite glad to see that your, and consequently mine, pick of ‘The Reapers are the Angels’ winning the Alex award this year. wOOt WooT!
Jan
Oh, no! I did finish it, but it took a while. I had to put the book down for a bit because I knew how it would end. 😦
Did you know that The Reapers are the Angels has also been nominated for the Philip K. Dick award?! 😀
No, I didn’t Amanda! How awesome is that!!!
I keep trying to hand-sell the book, but it would seem that only about 1 in a hundred is willing to give it a go. Wonder why that is? Maybe dystopian drama is on its way out??? Naw. lol.
Thanks for letting me know … and thanks for actually responding to my posts (few bloggers do that & you and I are part of that rare breed it seems.)
Aww, you’re welcome! I try to make an effort to keep up with my friends’ blogs, though I do get behind sometimes. 😉
I want to read this…. I am glad you loved it.
You know Auel is about to release another in the Clan of the Cave Bear series.. comes out here in a few months.
The Angels are Reaper has been nominated for the PKD award – I still have to read that one..
I read this book when I was young. I believe we were still going through the cold war. Of course the book is always better than the movie. Although I love Gregory Peck. It was quite devastating for me to read this while it seemed we were facing a more possible nuclear fiasco. Today, now if the terrorists get the bomb, who knows. They, the terrorist seem more likely to use it. Scary and yes The Road seems more real in terms of what could happen to us. I quit reading these kinds of books. I would like to think of things ending in a more Startrek fashion. My idealistic attitude I guess.
Nothing wrong with that Terry. I would love to think we may go the Star Trek route. 😉
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