Newsletter dated August 2015

Letters to the Editor

FROM Alison Jenner alisonjenner@yahoo.com

Dear friends,

The final deadline for registering for the Oxford Conference is fast approaching so if you have been thinking of coming to join us here, now is the time to head to http://www.oxford2015.info/ and complete your registration.

As well as having a schedule of fantastic and in some cases controversial talks, we are looking forward to visiting both Bletchley Park and the Shuttleworth Collection, venues which are unmissable for Shute devotees.

Our conference banquet takes place in the Great Hall of Balliol College, a luminously historic venue which I feel we are going to remember for the rest of our lives.

There are final travel arrangements I have to make, so do please make sure that you register before 14th August. I look forward to meeting you at the end of this month!

Regards,

Alison

FROM Mark Stranger mark@hobartyachts.com.au

I am writing an article on sailing in Tasmania. I remember hearing or reading somewhere that Nevil Shute had considered the waterways of Tasmania among the best cruising grounds in the world. Does this ring a bell with you?

FROM Mike Berliner mberliner1@earthlink.net

Thanks for the various responses to my earlier post re the “Town Like Alice” DVD issue. Based on some private emails back and forth, Dan Telfair and I are agreed that all of the available DVDs are “unauthorized,” or at least not official products made from the original film. I bought two of the ones he mentioned in the last newsletter: The set from Lost Movies has the movie title typed on white labels and credits only something called Flashstar Home Video. The set from Vermont Movie Store contains no credits whatever, indicating something less than official. Also, both sets contain three discs that mirror the three VHS tapes in the original (and official) VHS from the production company, suggesting that they were copied from the VHS. I found both sets to be decent but nowhere near the sharp images and vivid colors one finds in a good DVD. Unfortunately, my brief correspondence with Henry Crawford, the film’s producer, failed to reveal why a DVD wasn’t produced or who now owns the film rights. Looks as though I’ve reached a dead end and will just have to be satisfied with mediocre DVDs.

FROM Laura Schneider lauraschneider1@aol.com

Hi All!
Can you believe that we will be in Oxford in less than a month?

This note is to offer each of you the opportunity to be a reader on the last day (Friday) of the conference in the Presentation slot, "Reading Nevil Shute."

This will be the sixth consecutive conference where "Reading Nevil Shute" has been presented. It is an opportunity for every conference participant to read a favourite portion of any of Shute's books or writings.

Yes, there is a catch! Actually, there are two.

1. It is first come, first served.
The first 10 people who respond to me get to read. Our time slot is 90 minutes so we have to fit all readers into that allotment. Past experience has demonstrated that each reader has about 7 minutes to explain what they are reading and then do the reading. Your reading may not be that long and that is perfectly fine. Shorter is fine. Longer, not so much....
2. Sometimes, more than one person wants to read from the same book. THAT IS FINE, as long as the passages are different. Again, first come, first served. Only once has there been a rush for the same passage and it was because of a particular Australian event that had recently occurred. Three Aussies chose the passage but the first one who requested it got to read. No worries. The other two readers found other lovely passages.
The beauty of "Reading Nevil Shute" is that anyone can read. Whether this is your first conference or your ninth, you can read! There are no requirements except your desire to share a favourite passage with the group.
Please consider this invitation and get back to me as soon as possible. IF you want to read but are not sure what you want to read, contact me and tell me. I will be finalizing the reading list no later than August 9, next Sunday

Thanks so much. I look forward to meeting first time delegates and renewing old acquaintances.

Warm regards,

Laura

FROM Paul Spoff paulspoff6@aol.com

You might like this --- I had to 'nurse' it along but thought the last seven minutes were great if you like real WWII video from real planes during the war.......
This is spectacular live footage of the 3,000 mile round trip air assault upon the Japanese mainland, with 3 bomber wings and a host of P-51's.

No matter what war footage you have ever seen before, this is the real deal and will keep your undivided attention.
The P-51 & B29 footage is remarkable. The strafing runs by the P-51 pilots were incredible.
There are several "breaks" as the film canisters are changed, just wait for the count down.

(View Full Screen/Sound On)

B-29/P-51 Actual WWII Footage

http://www.archive.org/details/TheLastBomb1945