RUINED CITY - Hardcover

Nevil Shute Norway was born on 17 January 1899 in Ealing, London. After attending the Dragon School and Shrewsbury School, he studied Engineering Science at Balliol College, Oxford. He worked as an aeronautical engineer and published his first novel, Marazan, in 1926. In 1931 he married Frances Mary Heaton and they went on to have two daughters. During the Second World War he joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve where he worked on developing secret weapons. After the war he continued to write and settled in Australia where he lived until his death on 12 January 1960. His most celebrated novels include Pied Piper (1942), No Highway (1948), A Town Like Alice (1950) and On the Beach (1957).

Wealthy London banker Henry Warren's life has become a shambles until he stumbles into the severely depressed town of Sharples. The spirit of the unemployed townspeople gives Warren's life new direction and some surprisesÐwhich make for lively listening. Robin Bailey's reading is impeccably clear, and the pace is perfect. He depicts each character with a different voice. From the butler's imperious attitude to the bluster of the tram driver, the narrator captures our attention. Women's voices are done with equal professionalism. The packaging accurately depicts the spirit of the novel and includes story and narrator information. Highly recommended for any popular fiction collection. J.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine