David’s review of Slide Rule > Likes and Comments

What a Marvellous Review. You have brought the intrigue and the glamour of the 1920's and 30's back to life through the eyes of a great writer. Thanks, David!

Fergus wrote: "What a Marvellous Review. You have brought the intrigue and the glamour of the 1920's and 30's back to life through the eyes of a great writer. Thanks, David!"

Thank you, Fergus. I am glad you liked it. It was indeed a great era. I think many people are revisiting Nevil Shute's great work.

This is an excellent review, David! I read this book when I was much younger and it even inspired me - mostly to strive to become a better, more well-rounded person! I plan to re-read this again sometime within the next few years. :)

Jaline wrote: "This is an excellent review, David! I read this book when I was much younger and it even inspired me - mostly to strive to become a better, more well-rounded person! I plan to re-read this again so..."

Thank you Jaline. My reactions were similar. Now I must look for another NS book. Maybe Marazan, his first.

David wrote: "Thank you Jaline. My reactions were similar. Now I must look for another NS book. Maybe Marazan, his first. "

I just read Marazan - last week, I think. I really enjoyed the story - and his writing style was already showing through even all those years ago. Enjoy!

Jaline wrote: "David wrote: "Thank you Jaline. My reactions were similar. Now I must look for another NS book. Maybe Marazan, his first. "

I just read Marazan - last week, I think. I really enjoyed..."

Okay I will search it out. Thank you.

leslie hamod wrote: "Thankyou, fascinating review!"

Thanks, Leslie.

Thank you for your great review. I agree that Neville Shute was an ethical and considerate man. Think how he struggled over the ethical dilemma of calculating his company’s worth. He was so open about the struggle, not for himself but for the livelihoods of his men. Hints of Ruined City there.

Dianne wrote: "Thank you for your great review. I agree that Neville Shute was an ethical and considerate man. Think how he struggled over the ethical dilemma of calculating his company’s worth. He was so open ab..."

Thank you Dianne. I think Nevil was a great human being and his writing had a huge effect on me and my own writing. I am just reading The Rainbow and the Rose and this is the last book on my list that I had not read before.

Rereading these comments, I MUST now add this to my TBR’s! Thanks again, David.

Thank you, Fergus for your kind words. I am still working on that story myself, now publishing The Airshipmen as a trilogy. (People had grumbled that it was too big and too heavy a book!) These books will have a short photographical essay in the back of each one.

Wonderful! It’s no mean feat, to me, for someone to publish a trilogy, let alone a stand-alone single volume. I have nothing but admiration for your grit and tenacity!

Thank you Fergus. The R101 Airship story continues to gnaw away at me, as it has every essence of great human drama. And I must say, the humanity of men like Nevil Shute seems to have disappeared from society.

Thanks! I MUST read some Shute. What’s your favourite novel?

I think A Town Like Alice is one of the best love stories ever written.
I always like Trustee from the Toolroom. Ruined City, The Chequer Board, On the Beach, Beyond the Black Stump and The Far Country are also fine novels.

Thanks, David - I now have A Town like Alice!

Another one for the TBR pile. I adore Nevil Shute’s writing. I just finished ‘The Chequer Board’ and plan to work my way through all of his novels. Sometimes I’m disappointed in discovering the true person that an author is but it sounds like Mr. Shute is the real deal. Thanks for your review.

Thank you Brenda. Yes, I think Nevil Shute Norway was the real deal, but he wasn't a pushover nor was he a pussycat. He could not have been, to have achieved all that he achieved: Second in charge of building the great R100 (at about 28), creator of an aircraft company to rival Vickers, creator of special secret weapons in WW2, Australian farmer and best selling author in his day. The later book I reviewed of his life, calling him the master storyteller, painted him more harshly. He was a man easily under estimated, as he was, I think, by our friends at the Royal Airship Works in Cardington.

Great and informative review, David! This is all new to me and very interesting. Thanks.

Thank you Marilyn. Nevil Shute was an inspiration to me as a teenager (a long time ago). I guess it was largely due to him that I wrote The Airshipmen and The Airshipmen Trilogy - and then The Ghost of Captain Hinchliffe. Writing and researching those books over many years was great fun.

I should have mentioned, Marilyn, that Nevil Shute is a major character in my books about Shute's airship days.