Thread: Draco..

Originally Posted by johntins

I'm a bit older than you, and I remember books. A man I admire enormously, even though he died about 60 years ago, called Nevil Shute, wrote a book called An Old Captivity. As was the case in all Shute's books there was a romance, but the book was focussed on flying an aerial survey of some place in Greenland.... in 1937. What the pilot had to do, what he went through, the physical and mental cost of flying in those latitudes. It's bloody hard now, with heaters and camps and GPS. Imagine it then. Blows me away.

In case you think Shute was merely a writer, google him. He had a few strings to his bow that would surprise most.

Originally Posted by Homestar

Ha ha - you’ll never believe this but I’m reading ‘No Highway’ by him at the moment. I’ve read it before, and others by him but not ‘An Old Captivity’ - will see if I can find a copy. 👍

Yep, quite a fellow - he was an Aeronautical Engineer and moved to Melbourne later in his life. 👍

My Dad put me onto him years ago, there are quite a few of his books still on the shelves at Mums place (Dad died a while back) - should see what is there.

Originally Posted by johntins

Like I said, you continue to surprise, Gav. No Highway is brilliant. Mr Honey... Elspeth. Marjorie Corder, Monica Teasedale, the Reindeer.. That was written, as my mom would say, post war. I would ask, which one? An Old Captivity was 'tween wars, in the narrow focus of British Subjects, which some of us were. Great book though.

Shute wrote a few books. He died of a heart attack somewhere in Mornington I believe. There is a street named after him in Berwick. In another book, "In The Wet", he mentions the old Casey airfield, named after Lord Casey, which is now a sportsground.

If you like that sort of thing then I'd recommend all of his books after maybe Lonely Road. Not bad, but a little immature, as Shute himself said in a preface to "What Happened to the Corbetts". I agree, but his writing in What Happened was good, so I keep it in my list.

But 'An Old Captivity' was when he started to become great. 'Landfall', which followed, is a truly great story about young love in a World War. It is one of my faves.

Originally Posted by p38arover

By heck, that Draco is definitely STOL! I've not seen it before.

Re Shute, I think I've read all his books.

Have you read his autobiography, "Slide Rule"?

Originally Posted by johntins

He was one who pointed out to the Admiralty that THEIR airship, the R101, was far too heavy. They, like most bureaucracies, refused to listen. When they finally realised he was right their answer was to graft in another major section of gas envelope. The ensuing disaster and loss of life ended the British airship enterprise. This was sad for Shute ( OK, Norway ) because the ship he was involved with, the R100, was a success. The Airspeed thing came after that, of course, and aviation is better for it. His designs were beautiful and simple.

A very gifted man, who has given me some joy with his well written characters, and simple but brilliant stories.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Worth mentioning for those who grew up in the last fifty years - his first job title was "computer". He was one of those doing the stress calculations on R100 (Vickers' airship) - on paper, with (seven figure) log tables.

He was the founder and principal designer of the Airspeed aircraft company, builder of Britain's most advanced civil aircraft in the 1930s. And wrote under a pen name because he (probably correctly) thought that the board would think writing was an unsuitable occupation for their engineers!

Originally Posted by bob10

Neville Shute, from 'A town like Alice ', ' On the Beach ', ' Requiem for a Wren', his books covered a broad range. Interesting are his comments about himself.

“I would divide the senior executives of the engineering world into two categories, the starters and the runners, the men with a creative instinct who can start a new venture and the men who can run it to make it show a profit. They are very seldom combined in the same person. … I was a starter and useless as a runner…”

Originally Posted by skidrov

My fave: Trustee from the Toolroom. I like to imagine it made into a movie, in glorious 50's Technicolor...

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Yes!

Originally Posted by Old Farang

Most of his books are available on "bookdepository.com"

https://www.bookdepository.com/An-Old-Captivity-Nevil-Shute-Norway/9780099530121?redirected=true&utm_medium=Google&ut m_campaign=Base6&utm_source=TH&utm_content=An-Old-Captivity&selectCurrency=THB&w=AF5NAU99TQL6TZA80TR R&pdg=pla-297612067635:kwd-297612067635:cmp-1348877931:adg-52577848925:crv-263364421172id-9780099530121:dev-c&gclid=CjwKCAjw3c_tBRA4EiwAICs8Ckek-xFLsZNBSEquoX4HYQSuIafl0S1-3yZwPGoqL5jU-4Sqq8LkgRoCBS4QAvD_BwE

http://www.nevilshute.org/Captivity%20Summary.php

From the remnants of my weekend...

"screw you guys"........

I'll just have a quick read.....

I now have sore thumbs and need to reclean the protective screen on the E- reader.....

Do you mean to say that you didn't know Neville Shute? While not Australian, he emigrated in 1950, and died in Melbourne in 1960.

predates me...

Originally Posted by skidrov

Easy: Anthony Hopkins, slightly tuning his "Remains of the day" persona. Got a whole list, I need to get out more...

Could work. Maybe his role in Spotswood could help.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

predates me...

.

Maybe I could read to you while you fix my cars... I have a good speaking voice, so we might both learn something...

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Do you mean to say that you didn't know Neville Shute? While not Australian, he emigrated in 1950, and died in Melbourne in 1960.

Check your spelling, JD. It's Nevil, although no spell checker will believe it.

Originally Posted by Homestar

Ha ha - you’ll never believe this but I’m reading ‘No Highway’ by him at the moment. I’ve read it before, and others by him but not ‘An Old Captivity’ - will see if I can find a copy. 👍

If you PM me your address I'll LEND you my copies of a few... Some have fallen apart, sadly, well not really sadly, just through reading I guess. I don't recommend audio copies, as the readers are ****. Good readers are vital.

In my youth I read a book called something like "The Pied Piper."
Was that Nevil Shute? I was only about 15 & just getting into reading but it was an excellent book, great story.
Jonesfam