Sesquipedalian Alternatives Trivia Quiz

Answer: No Highway

'No Highway' was published in 1948, which was the same year that Nevil Shute flew to Australia for the first time. He liked the country so much that he and his family decided to emigrate two years later.

In the book, Theodore Honey is carrying out research at Farnborough into possible metal fatigue developing in the tail-plane of the Reindeer aeroplane. Following a crash of one of the older aircraft in Labrador, the investigation becomes more urgent. Mr. Honey has to fly out to the site of the crash; on discovering that the aircraft taking him across the Atlantic has flown as many miles as the crashed Reindeer, he takes drastic action to prevent the same thing happening again.

Answer: A Town Like Alice

'A Town Like Alice' was published in 1950. The Alice from the title refers to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory in Australia. Although very little of the book is actually set there, they have named the town library after Nevil Shute.

The book tells the story of Jean Paget, who was working in Malaya as the Japanese troops arrived during the World War II, and what happened after she was taken prisoner. Some years after the war, while working in London, Jean, as the only remaining member of the family, inherited a considerable sum of money from a distant relative. With the approval of the solicitor who acted as her trustee, Jean returned to Malaya to get a well dug for the women of a village. While there she learned that an Australian, whom she thought the Japanese had killed, had survived the war, and, fearing that the injuries he received may have meant that he could no longer work as a stockman, went on to Australia to see if she could find him. He was no longer based near Alice Springs, but worked on a station near a small town, described as a "fair cow", in the Gulf Country of north Queensland. Jean was appalled by the lack of facilities in Willstown, but decided that she could start up a business to help the people of the district. One thing led to another, and eventually Willstown could be described as a town like Alice.

Answer: An Old Captivity

'An Old Captivity' was published in 1940; it was the sixth of Nevil Shute's novels to be published. Although he was still working as an aeronautical engineer for his company, Airspeed Ltd, Nevil Shute was also becoming quite well known as an author.

Set in the 1930s, the book tells the story of an Oxford don's expedition to Greenland to investigate an old viking settlement. In his daughter's eyes, he was too old for such an expedition, and she insisted on accompanying him to look after him. Almost all of the organisation fell upon the shoulders of Donald Ross, the pilot engaged by Cyril Lockwood. Ross had arranged for a mechanic to sail to Greenland with a lot of the heavy equipment, while he flew the Lockwoods. Unfortunately, the mechanic suffered a broken leg, and so had to sail back to the UK, leaving Ross to cope with all the maintenance as well as the flying. Ross found the prolonged dream he experienced, while under the influence of the sleeping tablets he had been taking, somewhat disturbing. The attention to detail is so good that the book could be used as a manual on how to organise an expedition to Greenland by air in the 1930s.

Answer: Ruined City

'Ruined City' was published in 1938. In the United States the title was changed to 'Kindling'.

Despite the depression of the 1930s, Henry Warren was a financially successful London banker. However his marriage was failing and he was having health problems. He decided to go walking in the north of England, but was taken ill and ended up in hospital in the former ship-building town of Sharples in Northumberland. While recovering from his operation, Warren decided that he should do something to help put the town back on its feet. This book tells the story of what he had to do to achieve that aim.

Answer: In the Wet

'In the Wet' was published in 1953, which was the year of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It is another story which includes long dream sequences.

The book is narrated by an Australian Bush Brother, suffering from malaria, who is stuck in a hut with a dying alcoholic ex-pilot during the wet (the rainy season). It tells a story, set thirty years into the future, of Britain ruled by anti-monarchist socialist politicians, and suffering from severe austerity. Both Australia and Canada are much more supportive of the monarchy, and provide jet aircraft for the Royal family's use, and crews to operate them. Ultimately the Queen, her husband and two children end up in Australia, having announced that they will not return to the UK until political reforms have taken place.

Answer: Most Secret

Although it was written in 1942, in the middle of World War II, 'Most Secret' wasn't allowed to be published until 1945.

This book was set at a time when Britain was standing alone against the Germans. Having acquired a Breton fishing vessel, the Genevieve, four British officers, with the help of a crew mostly comprised of Free French sailors, planned a series of raids on the Breton coast. The Genevieve, which had been equipped with a flame thrower, was able to mingle with the fishing fleet from Douarnenez and inflicted serious damage on the accompanying German vessels and the harbour defences. They were also able to deliver arms to members of the French resistance.

Answer: Beyond the Black Stump

'Beyond the Black Stump' was published in 1956, several years after Nevil Shute had settled in Australia. The title refers to an Australian expression used to describe a location which is a long way from a town or city.

The book tells the story of Stanton Laird, a geologist from a small town in Oregon, who was part of a team looking for oil in Western Australia. He met an unconventional extended Australian family, and fell in love with the daughter, Mollie. Her mother thought it would be best if Mollie visited Laird's family in Oregon before making any definite marriage plans. The visit started well, but then Ruth returned to the town in Oregon; she was an old flame of Laird's and the widow of his best friend. As Mollie learned more about Laird's life in Oregon, she became less certain that they could have a future together.

Answer: Trustee from the Toolroom

'Trustee from the Toolroom' was the last novel written by Nevil Shute and was published in 1960, a few months after he had died.

The title character is Keith Stewart. He had a career designing and making miniature models, and then describing how to make them in a magazine. He had followers in many parts of the UK and also around the world. However his sister and her husband asked Stewart and his wife to look after their daughter while they took a lengthy trip on their small yacht; eventually they planned to settle in British Columbia, where she would join them. Before departing, Keith's brother-in-law asked for some advice about securing his wife's jewellery box in the ballast of the boat. Following an accident in the Pacific Ocean, Stewart has to travel there to secure his niece's inheritance. He is surprised and gratified to discover that many of his loyal readers are only too happy to help him make the complicated return trip successfully.

Answer: Pastoral

'Pastoral' was published in 1944, as World War II entered its final phase in Europe, with the invasion of Normandy. As a well-known writer, Nevil Shute was asked by the Ministry of Information to go to Normandy as a War Correspondent.

This book is set on an RAF station in the south of England. Peter Marshall is an experienced bomber pilot, with a loyal crew who all enjoy spending time together in the local countryside. Gervase Robertson is a WAAF who has recently been posted to the same station. A romance is on the cards, but there may be pitfalls ahead when the future is so uncertain.

Answer: The Far Country

'The Far Country' was published in 1952, two years after Nevil Shute had emigrated to Australia.

With rationing continuing in the United Kingdom for several years after the end of World War II, Jennifer Morton's grandmother has been receiving regular food parcels from relatives in Australia. After the death of her grandmother, Jennifer goes out to visit the relatives on their sheep station for a few months. While there she meets and falls in love with a Czech refugee who was qualified as a doctor in his homeland, but isn't allowed to practice in Australia; despite this, fellow refugees in the remote logging camp are grateful for any medical help he can give them when required.

Answer: Pied Piper

'Pied Piper' was first published in 1942, and was filmed in the same year.

A widowed Englishman, John Howard, is unsettled at the beginning of the war, and decides to take a holiday in the French Alps, a place he has visited in the past. However the advance of the Germans in to France means that he must cut short his trip and return to England. He is asked to take the two young children of some fellow guests with him. The trip doesn't go according to plan, and while trying to find a different way back some more children join his party. Eventually John Howard and the children end up in Brittany, trying to dodge the Nazis and find a boat to take them across the English Channel.

Answer: The Rainbow and the Rose

'The Rainbow and the Rose' was published in 1958. It was the last of Nevil Shute's novels to be published in his lifetime.

Ronnie Clarke, a commercial pilot, hears that his former flying instructor from England, John Pascoe, has been injured in a flying accident in Tasmania. Clarke volunteers to try to fly a doctor to help Pascoe. The weather and the location make the attempts perilous. In between those flights, while trying to sleep, Clarke dreams and remembers episodes from Pascoe's life, telling the story of how he came to live in Tasmania.

Answer: So Disdained

'So Disdained' was the second of Nevil Shute's novels to be published, in 1928. In the United States it was given the title "The Mysterious Aviator".

Set after World War I, when there were a lot of pilots chasing too few jobs, this book is told by one, Peter Moran, who has taken a job managing a country estate. While driving home through the rain one evening he gives a lift to a pedestrian; he recognises him as a former colleague from the war, named Maurice Lenden, and discovers that he has had to make a forced landing nearby. Lenden reluctantly explains the circumstances which led up to their meeting, leaving Moran torn between loyalty to a former comrade or to his country.

Answer: Requiem for a Wren

'Requiem for a Wren' was first published in 1955; it was given the title 'The Breaking Wave' in the United States.

Alan and Bill Duncan left their home on an Australian sheep station to go to England to fight in World War II. Alan became a pilot in the RAF; Bill served in the Royal Navy as a diver until his death during the preparations for the D-Day landings. After the war, Alan decided to try and find his brother's former girlfriend, Wren Janet Prentice, whom he had met once, shortly before D-Day. Following leads which took him around England, and then to Seattle on the west coast of America, he was forced to return to Australia without finding her. On his arrival at home, he found everyone upset owing to the sudden death of a much valued parlourmaid - she had become indispensable to his increasingly frail mother. The girl's past life was something of a mystery to the household, but Alan knew they needed to find out more before she could be laid to rest.

Answer: On the Beach

'On the Beach' was published in 1957. It has been described as Nevil Shute's best-known novel.

The book is set after a third World War, which has involved nuclear bombing in the northern hemisphere resulting in the death of all living creatures there. A mysterious message is apparently being broadcast from Seattle; the last American submarine heads north from Melbourne to investigate, but the signal has been caused by a broken window sash blowing in the wind and hitting a telegraph key from time to time. Meanwhile the people of Melbourne are trying to live normal lives, despite the increasing lack of fuel for motor vehicles, and the knowledge that the deadly radiation cloud is moving ever closer.