Town Like Alice: Amazon.ca: Nevil Shute: Books

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by Nevil Shute

4.1 out of 5 stars (154) CDN$ 15.33

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Customer Reviews

44 Reviews

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(5)
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Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (44 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic will they- won't they tale with a nice twist., Feb 16 2004

By	Sailoil (Dublin Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Town Like Alice (Mass Market Paperback)

This book opens in Malaysia during WW2, with descriptions based on Shute's own experiences in Indonesia during the war. In a chance encounter an English Girl and an Australian soldier meet and feel something special exists between them.

After the war, each attempts to contact the other. They travel the world to find out if their memories of that defining moment are real, or were a personal illusion, not held by the other person.

A real heart rending tale of true romance set in a passionate backdrop of war and the aftermath, and the wild spaces of central Australia. This is not just an Australian classic, it is a classic! A relly good memorable read.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A book you cannot forget, Oct 27 2003

By	Inger Watts (Trondheim, Norway) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Town Like Alice (Mass Market Paperback)

I have listened to many of Nevil Shute's books, and this is my favourite. The book's starting-point is a real story that happened during World War II: When the Japanese invaded Sumatra, they captured 80 Dutch women and children. The prisoners were forced to walk along the roads for 2 years, and by the end less than 30 were alive.

Shute's novel takes place on Malakka, because he knew this island better than Sumatra. His main character is an English-woman called Jean Paget. In a touching way he describes how the women have to fight for their survival.

When the war ends, Jean is told that she has inherited some money, and decides to go to Australia to meet a man she cannot forget

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5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favourite ever books, Sep 15 2003

By	A. Kelly "lorrainecooke" (Ireland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Town Like Alice (Mass Market Paperback)

I found this in a secondhand bookstore whilst travelling for a year in Australia, and spent three "rest-up" days on a hostel porch near not-very-exciting Bundaberg in Queensland, oblivious to everyone & everything but the unfolding events in this book. I picked it up because I had seen the excellent mini series with Bryan Brown many years earlier and hoped the book would prove an even richer experience. I was right. Quietly compelling & beautifully told, this novel made my heart ache to be leaving Australia whilst I was still there! This was one I selfishly took home with me, rather than the usual (and wonderfully welcome) backpacker practice of leaving books on hostel bookshelves for the next weary, and word hungry traveller.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh my word, this is a wonderful book!
This is a beautifully written story, cleverly and very poignantly told from the point of view of a 70-something man - a careful, considerate London solicitor who is the trustee... Read more

Published on Sep 11 2003 by Scorpio69

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Storyteller
Nevil Shute is a magician with the written word. Jean Paget is a true heroine, and somebody that I aspire to be some day. Joe Harman is the hunky Aussie cowboy. Read more

Published on Aug 9 2003 by Kelly Erickson

5.0 out of 5 stars A town like Alice
My comment on this book is that we can learn a lot from this story and the difficult situations refugees have to face and fear. Read more

Published on Jun 2 2003 by Markus Lach

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic romance
I bought a version of this book 30 years ago and it remains one of my favorites. It is absolutely flawless. One of the all-time greats! Read more

Published on Mar 13 2003