Nevile Shute, On The Beach

First published back in 1957 ' On the Beach 'was one of the last novels by the British-Australian author Nevil Shute, before his death in January of 1960. With the eventual end of WWII still fresh in everyone ' s minds, Shute produced a powerful post-apocalyptic tale set during the after effects of a very short lived and devastating WWIII. Shute sets off the novel, setting down the scenario of the northern hemisphere now void of all life due to a massive nuclear warfare between Russia and China.

The story follows the final months of an Australian navel officer named Peter Holmes and the American navel captain Dwight Towers, who are amongst the last of the human race based in Australia, before the nuclear fallout eventually and inevitably reaches them. As the book continues, the nuclear powered submarine USS Scorpion is taken on a few final missions in order to ascertain whether life is at all possible on the planet going forwards, whether the radioactive fallout is subsiding at all and whether or not there are any survivors left anywhere else.

Shute carefully subjects the reader to the seemingly surreal reaction the last of the human race have towards their imminent extinction. Almost infuriating at times, the characters continue along with their individual day-to-day chores, almost as if they are all burrowing their heads in to the sand. The hopelessness of the entire storyline leaves a constant reminder over and over again with every conversation and event that takes places within the book. Desperation is evident everywhere, but only subtly hinted at amongst the many layers of the human psyche that are so apparent within the tale.

Characterisation is beautifully constructed, with time spent analysing the individuals reactions as they draw closer and closer towards their extinction. Many come across as lost, unable to contemplate the enormity of what lays ahead of them.

With the final days approaching, the tale spirals to further depths of depression, finally concluding without a whisper of hope, with such an emotional final chapter it leaves the reader breathless as the last of the pages is turned. Such a downbeat and prophetic novel is not for everyone. Its messages are obvious from the outset, yet tackled no further, apart from showing the human reaction towards the loss of everything. This powerful novel will stay with you for years to come, its haunting coldness reminding you of the devastating stupidity that humankind is capable of.

The novel was shortly after publication adapted into the 1959 film of the same title that featured Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire. Again in 2000 the tale was once again adapted, this time for the straight to television film starring Arman Assante and Rachel Ward.