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The Far Country by Nevil Shute
I've just read this again for the first time after God knows how many years and hugely enjoyed doing so. Although he wrote it in the 50's or 60's he has to be one of the great storytellers of his time and, in many respects, his stories are ageless.
He produced at least 20 or 30 books in his time as an author and there isn't one of them that I haven't enjoyed in its way. If you find anything of his in, say, a Charity Shop, snap it up while you can - I promise you won't regret it.
The Far Country was written by him after he had emigrated to Australia after WW2. He had been an aeronautical engineer before that war and many of his early books reflect his interest in the aircraft world but, despite that, are still touching and wonderful stories in their own right.
Following WW2 he became seriously disenchanted with life in UK as austerity and continuing food rationing and exorbitant tax rates bore down on everyone (some people were paying 98% tax on not very fat incomes and hundreds of great houses, which should now be part of our national heritage, were pulled down and destroyed to avoid tax).
So he emigrated to Australia and a new life and, having done so, wrote books like A Town Like Alice (an international bestseller), On The Beach and The Far Country. I defy any of you Aussie girls to read the latter without shedding a tear or two ...
And any of you who have not yet discovered Nevil Shute do so now - you won't regret it. I'm now going to build up a small library of his books. He was a truly marvellous storyteller ...
Tony.
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