On the subject of books (don't worry, things will connect eventually) I've been working my way through the wonderful novels of Nevil Shute, and finally decided it was about time I reviewed one. This most recent read, The Far Country, is as well written as his other books, but with the added very interesting context of England and France as compared to Australia, in the years following WWII.
Up to now, I had no idea of the horribly impoverished state England and Europe were reduced to post WWII. Probably a result of reading too many "cozy" mystery novels set in England. The end of the war did not mark the beginning of better times at all. In fact, things got worse for quite awhile. Probably due as much to the "new era of Socialism" as to the loss of all those young men. This novel takes place in the Korean War years of the '50s, and taxes are rising continually, rationing is even more strict, and meat almost totally unavailable. People are starving to death (usually the elderly who don't ask in the right places for help or are ashamed to) in both England and France - Italy as well from what I've read in other books.
