11 Quotes & Sayings By Nevil Shute

Nevil Shute was born in Adelaide, South Australia on the 11th of October 1912. He joined the Royal Australian Naval Officer’s Training Corps in 1931 and served in the Navy Reserve during World War II. During the war he served in New Guinea, Borneo, Java, and the Philippines. He published his first book, On the Beach, in 1957 Read more

The book was based on his experiences in World War II. After its publication he received many awards for his wartime contributions including an Imperial Order of the British Empire for his naval service during both World Wars. He died in Adelaide on the 9th of May 1979.

It was a gambler's action, but his whole life had...
1
It was a gambler's action, but his whole life had probably been made up of gambles; it could hardly be otherwise in the outback. Nevil Shute
2
People who spent the war in prison camps have written a lot of books about what a bad time they had, she said quietly, staring into the embers. they don't know what it was like, not being in a camp. Nevil Shute
3
It was so beautiful', he said. 'the Three Pagodas Pass must be one of the loveliest places in the world. you've got this broad valley with the river running down it, and the jungle forest, and the mountains..we used to sit by the river and watch the sun setting behind the mountains, sometimes, and say what a marvellous place it would be to come to for a holiday. however terrible a prison camp may be, it makes a difference if its beautiful. . Nevil Shute
4
I didn't wait to see her ship go off, because partings are stupid things and best got over quickly Nevil Shute
5
You did not die when you were drawing public assistance money, but you certainly did not remain alive. Nevil Shute
6
There's no dignity, no decency, or health today for men that haven't got a job. All other things depend on work today. Nevil Shute
7
If what they say is right we're none of us going to have time to do all that we planned to do. But we can keep on doing it as long as we can. Nevil Shute
8
You could have done something with newspapers. We didn't do it. No nation did, because we were all too silly. We liked our newspapers with pictures of beach girls and headlines about cases of indecent assault, and no Government was wise enough to stop us having them that way. But something might have been done with newspapers, if we'd been wise enough. Nevil Shute
9
You cannot argue stupidity, you just have to accept it patiently as one of those things. Nevil Shute
10
Maybe we've been too silly to deserve a world like this. Nevil Shute