My bellwether librarian agreed that she remembered how difficult it was for everyone to go about their regular business with the oppressive presence of the eminent demise of civilization looming over their lives. My Father has always said he has never been more afraid of the World Ending than in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Luckily she bailed me out and told me she read the book much later, but still while we were up to our eyeballs in the Cold War. I wanted to ask what it was like to have read this book in 1957, but that is a rather delicate question to a woman of an indeterminate age. When I checked this book out of the library, the librarian, the same one who gave me such good material for my In Cold Blood review, said that this book terrified her, not because of the horrifying circumstances in the book, but the plodding calmness of the characters. Those years between 1957-1963 proved to be tumultuous years indeed. On the Beach was published in 1957, but the novel is set in what was then the near future of 1963.
I dare say it will get along all right without us.”Īn Instructional Manual from 1951 on what to do in the event of an A-Bomb attack. The world will go on just the same, only we shan't be in it. When I checked this book out of the library, the librarian, “It's not the end of the world at all," he said. I dare say it will get along all right without us.” An Instructional Manual from 1951 on what to do in the event of an A-Bomb attack. “It's not the end of the world at all," he said. The conflict is more like, Should I euthanize my baby right now or wait till the radiation poisoning sets in? (less) Everyone already knows there is no chance of survival. This is the type of nuclear holocaust books where you are waiting for the radioactive clouds to drift towards Australia and wipe humanity off the face of the earth. Spoiler: this is not the sort of nuclear holocaust book that features a brave survivor struggling to survive while building a lean-to in the rubble and/or fighting off mutant giant rats. The focus is more on how the characters cope with all this and come to terms psychologically with the loss of their families, their world, and their own impending death. We already know, or strongly suspect, that all the characters will be dead by the end of the book. We already know, or strongly suspect, that a …more This isn't really an "enjoy the plot" type of book, since the plot involves the aftermath of nuclear war. JD This isn't really an "enjoy the plot" type of book, since the plot involves the aftermath of nuclear war.
On the Beach is a remarkably convincing portrait of how ordinary people might face the most unimaginable nightmare.more
Then a faint Morse code signal is picked up, transmitting from somewhere near Seattle, and Captain Towers must lead his submarine crew on a bleak tour of the ruined world in a desperate search for signs of life. Among them is an American submarine captain struggling to resist the knowledge that his wife and children in the United States must be dead. Then a faint Mo After a nuclear World War III has destroyed most of the globe, the few remaining survivors in southern Australia await the radioactive cloud that is heading their way and bringing certain death to everyone in its path. After a nuclear World War III has destroyed most of the globe, the few remaining survivors in southern Australia await the radioactive cloud that is heading their way and bringing certain death to everyone in its path.