Stay in the loop with reading group choices, get notified about the release of our print editions, and receive handy materials from our publishing partners. I did not enjoy reading this book because of the disrespectful attitude towards the aborigines. A town like alice tells the story of a plucky young englishwoman who becomes a legend in malaya during world war ii, inherits a fortune, marries her true love, and wisely uses her money to transform an australian ghost town. A town like alice has been such an intriguing read. A town like alice, nevil shutes novel of the japanese occupation of malaya during world war ii, was first filmed as a theatrical feature in 1956. Its amazing story of the strength of women surviving against all odds. The writing had an easy flow to it and the story was certainly gripping, even though this decidedly is a book of two halves. A town like alice by nevil shute, first edition abebooks.
He clearly loved travel and people from all walks of life and cultures. A town like alice study guide ch 610 a town like alice most appropriately conforms to the genre of the sociological novel. Read any nevil shute book you can get your hands on. A town like alice goodreads meet your next favorite book. Ill throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics or anything else youd like to say in the comment section. Like black rain, from last year, a town like alice took me by surprise. The book portrays a community and how it deals with the changes due to world conflicts. The first half deals with the history of jean paget, in which we follow her to malaya under the japanese occupation. A town like alice by nevil shute summary this study guide includes the following sections. Set against the brutal nightmare of world war ii, a love story begins that will take two lovers through a living chaos of captivity, across three continents and two. With virginia mckenna, peter finch, kenji takaki, tran van khe. Of course, that is the basic theme of many of shutes books. Aug 21, 2017 ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. Every book page contains useful information for your book group including book club questions.
Its a classic and shock its not on more must read book list. Nevil shutes most beloved novel, a tale of love and war, follows its enterprising heroine from the malayan jungle during world war ii to the rugged australian outback. Set against the brutal chaos of world war ii, a love story begins that will take two lovers through a living nightmare of captivity, across three continents and two decades. Book discussion further reading guide kent district library. Book club discussion questions this page gives you a full list of all the books featured on this site, split between fiction and non fiction.
Book club questions for still alice book club babble. Thinking back, she recalls the australian man who made a great sacrifice to aid her and her fellow prisoners of war. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of a town like alice by nevil shute. Discussion even though cultures differ, people are basically the same. Please post the chapter and or page number at the top of your post. One of my two favorite shute books is a town like alice aka the legacy. Jean paget, a young englishwoman living in malaya, is captured by the invading japanese and forced on a brutal sevenmonth death march with dozens of other women and children. Still alice by lisa genova book club discussion questions. You will read a town like alice and fall in love with shutes writing. Welcome to book club babble, the site for busy people who love books. At the bottom of the page you will also find useful links, all in one place.
The main character, jean, is a secretary in a shoe factory. People who spent the war in prison camps have written a lot of books. A town like alice aka the legacy tells of a young woman who miraculously survived a wartime japanese death march, and an australian soldier, also a prisoner of war, who offered to help her even at the cost of his life. Set in both malaysia and then the australian outback, its easy to see why a town like alice is so well known and a classic. The level and depth of his writing in alice shows that he was indeed learning to draw upon his own experiences to create critically acclaimed works. This book is in the public domain in canada, and is made available to you drmfree. There is work to be done, but all we want to do is read. A newly wealthy english woman returns to malaya to build a well for the villagers who helped her during war. The book was a delightful read, and id suggest it as a perfect summer beach read if you are so inclined. A town like alice a 1950s exciting story, of a woman who has such success, vision, courage and determination. A town like alice tells the story of a plucky young englishwoman who becomes a legend in malaya during world war ii, inherits a fortune, marries her true love, and wisely uses her money to transform an australian ghost town into a thriving community. The discussion will begin on november 1, 2011 where. 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 hereven at the cost of his life. Sep 11, 2019 the perfect book club is made up of three key things.
A harrowing wwii drama that was a huge critical and commercial success in england, this british production was based on a novel by nevil shute. There was not one positive thing mentioned about them as far as i could see, but so much glorification of the heroine and her man. Ive been in a lot of book clubs, and i know its not always easy to get a conversation going on a book. A town like alice the legacy this book is a member of the special collection special collection. During the war, a group of prisoners, mostly women. Find discussion books, contests, and reading lists. The film does not follow the whole novel, concluding at the end of part two and truncating or omitting much detail. A town like alice rape of malaya 1956 rotten tomatoes.
A town like alice most appropriately conforms to the genre of the sociological novel. Oct 16, 2015 alice in wonderland book club discussion. A town like alice questions temp galesburg public library. Apr 09, 2020 a harrowing, exciting, and in the end very satisfying war romance. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. Jun 16, 2015 however, i had never read a town like alice 1950 by nevil shute until a few weeks ago.
This is a statement that depends a lot on what you mean with basically. From the steamy jungles of malaya to the dusty and desolate outback of australia. A town like alice, by nevil shute the story begins right before the start of world war two. What alice forgot for our virtual book club this month, were talking about what alice forgot by liane moriarty, which i introduced here. Jean paget, an adolescent englishwoman, becomes romantically involved with a fellow wwii prisoner, joe harmon, in malaya now the western portion of malaysia. Shop online for our annual print editions, which include book overviews, suggested discussion topics and discussion questions for all our annual books. An example from the book is the australians, whose culture is rather close to the english, but there are few englishmen who would have liked the loneliness in the big country australia, and even fewer australians, i think, would feel comfortable in the. Based on nevil shutes international bestselling novel a town like alice. While the blatant racism mostly in the 3rd act of the book was uncomfortable, the story as a whole was entertaining.
Britishaustralian author nevil shutes historical romance novel a town like alice. A town like alice by nevil shute reading guidebook club. Both groups brought new insights to a book that has puzzled and. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on a town like alice by nevil shute. Produced by the seven network, and directed by david stevens, it. Jean paget, a young englishwoman, becomes romantically interested in a fellow prisoner of world war ii in malaya, and after liberation emigrates to australia to be with him, where she attempts, by investing her substantial financial inheritance, to.
The legacy is a romance novel by nevil shute, published in 1950 when shute had newly settled in australia. People who spent the war in prison camps have written a. In the book this is found amongst the malayan women that has to work on the fields, look after the kids and sleep on the floor. In other words the are real because he made them so, and they did not rely on events to make them so. Also type spoiler when given away a major plot element. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
I wanted to know where the movie had come from, as books are usually better than movies, and i had forgotten much of the plot. The perfect book club is made up of three key things. His ability to create real, 3dimensional characters was one of his gifts. About the book a town like alice, a novel written in 1950, is intertwined with romance and economic development. Nevil shute writes every character with quiet kindness and intelligence. A harrowing, exciting, and in the end very satisfying war romance. A town like alice is a fivehour 1981 australian television adaptation of nevil shutes novel of the same name. A town like alice is a 1956 british drama film produced by joseph janni and starring virginia mckenna and peter finch that is based on the 1950 novel by nevil shute. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction. I think i will be less apprehensive of war time novels, going forward. A town like alice appears to be a war novel on the surface, being published in 1950, but it was written when he was presumably doing some traveling in southeast asia and australia. Was nevil shute, author of a town like alice a racist, or was he just recording the attitudes of the time. And remember to check out our other book resources.
The first two things are easy to accomplish just read anything by. However, i had never read a town like alice 1950 by nevil shute until a few weeks ago. A town like alice is a novel by the australian author nevil shute. After they are liberated she emigrates to australia to be with him.