What made the experience of listening to A Town Like Alice the most enjoyable? Surely there are more novels on audio from Australia or England that Audible/Amazon could obtain rights to and bring to their readers.Ī long time favourite story brilliantly told That one isn't even available in used print (Amazon). I rented one about the Australian flying doctor service some 20 years ago from Books on Tape that was excellent. I wish there were more Nevil Shute books available on audio. The ultimate happy resolution, while completely foreseeable, is nuanced in unexpected ways and keeps the listener involved to the end.

The characterizations, as in all Nevil Shute novels, makes the story riveting. The un-ending British/Australian stiff-upper-lip recollection of what happened is typical of another time and place. The quiet tone of the book's narrator, both as written by Shute and underplayed by Bailey, makes the Malaysian WWII horrors described listenable without stopping, except to rewind and relisten occasionally. This is one of the best novels I've ever read and Robin Bailey's audio narration is perfect. A Town Like Alice will not disappoint you. He does well portraying all the various characters throughout the story. Robin Bailey, the narrator, is easy to listen to. It is a great book to read and an equally fine audible book. This novel has everything - war, survival, a legacy, romance, business savvy, friendship,humanity and more. It's interesting to read about the women taken prisoner by the Japanese in Malaysia, and the strength if the human spirit. That part of Nevil Shute's story is somewhat historically correct. The first part of the story occurs during World War II. A Town Like Alice takes place in England, Malaysia and Australia. What makes A Town Like Alice such a great book to read is the completion of an interesting and complex storyline. I kept looking for Joe or Jean to come greet us. We spent 2 nights and 3 days on a working station just outside Alice.

(Personally I feel the original title fits the story better) I enjoyed A Town Like Alice so much that when my second husband and I traveled to Australia in 1999 I insisted we visit the outback, Alice Springs in particular. The Legacy was renamed A Town Like Alice. Through the years I delighted in both my son and rereading Nevil Shute's wonderful book. We argued over the custody of three things - our son, the dog and a book, The Legacy. Way back in the mid seventies my first husband and I divorced.

Writer of a town like alice