The whole thing was impossible, sheer madness to attempt. He must be sensible and put it from his mind. It would be damn good fun...
Already wealthy, Henry Warren would go on making more money, it was now his sole interest...but what was the use in working only for himself? Then he found a woman with faith in the future ... a town that needed to regain its self respect ... a new purpose in living. To try and make a dream come true, Henry risked his fortune ... his reputation ... and his freedom.
Although I wouldn't say this is one of his best books, I would say its worth a read. I keep trying to figure out how to classify Nevile Shute's books and the only thing I can really come up with is Romance/Adventure, which is a reasonably strange mixture in this case.
Shute's characterisation is impeccable, his sense of romance is endearing and the devices he used to create what can only be termed a cracking good story are brilliantly composed. What impresses most about Neville Shute's stories is the overwhelming Englishness of them. Make no mistake about it, this is England portrayed when things were at their toughest, but when people pulled together for the common good.Set in 1934, at the height of the depression, Henry Warren is a rather bland banker who divorces his unfaithful wife.
Side note: Since this book was first published in 1938, it is interesting to see how Shute deals with this.Suddenly realising the full import of this rather sordid affair, he goes on a journey within England and through various twists and turns finds himself penniless and in need of medical attention in a run down and demoralised town in the north-east of england. What happens next and how it is done is for the reader to find out.
Suffice it to say that Shute's gentle style and his vision of how life was mixes very well with the way life ought to have been and left me at least, wishing that I had been around in those times, when men were gentlemen and women were ladylike, no matter what the provocation or temptation. I enjoyed this book.
