Nevil Shute Norway Foundation

Newsletter May 2018
text only version 

Letters to the Editor

Nevil Shute Symposium 2018.

The Symposium has been - and gone. It was a most successful event, very well  organised by Laura Schneider, helped by members of the local Shute book group and the Dartmouth Club of the Upper Valley. More than 60 people attended over the weekend, including Beall Fowler and Robert Wester, who have participated in all 10 of our international events. It The symposium was based at the prestigious Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire from April 13th to 15th.
It began on Friday evening with a Welcome Reception in the beautiful Paganucci Lounge where old friendships were renewed, and new ones made, over drinks and refreshments.
The venue on Saturday and Sunday was a comfortable lecture room in Moore Hall on the Dartmouthcampus. After a welcome, including from Heather Mayfield, Nevil Shute's older daughter, there followed presentations over the two days, both from veterans of these events and first-time speakers. The presentations covered all aspects of Shute's work from the literary to the technical with interesting discussions along the way.
As ever, we were fortified by excellent refreshments throughout the day including copious quantities of scones, jam and cream! The Dartmouth Chapter, our host chapter,  provided delicious homemade baked goods. 
The Conference banquet on Saturday evening was at Jesse's Steakhouse just a few miles from campus. Our after dinner speaker was Alan Lelchuk, an award-winning writer and Dartmouth Professor.
On Sunday, we concluded with our tradition of people reading extracts from their favourite Shute books.  In the closing remarks, the inevitable question "where next and when," was asked. 
Many thanks to all came from far and near and made it such a special occasion, in particular to Heather, her daughter Jennifer and two grandsons David and Kiran.

Details of the schedule are on the website  
www.nevilshute.org/USweekend.php


FROM Joost Meulenbroek joost.meulenbroek@mac.com

On April 22 we had our third bookreading in the Netherlands. Eight people came to the gliderfield Terlet, near Arnhem. Three of these eight were new, and the youngest participant was only 20 years young. (Marthe, my daughter) 

We had a very good time discussing The Chequer Board, with some side talks about other books, like A Town Like Alice and The Seafarers.

No new date has been set yet, but the general idea was that we should continue these bookreadings.


From: Mary Lee maryleedecarli@me.com
Date: 1 April 2018 at 14:14:40 BST

Subject: Remembered book

I am 80 years old. Started reading Shute, as did my mother, in my early teens. I remember one in which a pacifist camping on English coast meets German invaders. He is indifferent until one throws one of his books into  his campfire. Was this one of his stories? If so what was the title ?
 Thanks for your time,   MLLD

Charles D. dalsecl@prtel.com writes the following:

I am not definite,  but book could be "Mrs. Miniver",  or "The Moon is Down".




From Nick Yarrow Dmydny@gmail.com

I  wondered if the newsletter readers, in the UK, are aware of the fairly new TV channel Talking Pictures TV. Landfall was on last night and there have been other films of a similar age and theme to Nevil Shute’ books.

>From their website at http://talkingpicturestv.co.uk/



FROM Andrew Kwiatowski alrightythen214@gmail.com

A quick article on Viking navigation, a familiar topic for us of course from An Old Captivity. 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12026567

FROM THE EDITOR The newsletter is late this month. We went for a short holiday in Germany, and the Wifi was very bad over there.
Sometimes readers of the newsletter suggest a book to the readers. I would like to do that once too. I have just read Three Little Ships from Lilian Harry. It is a wonderful book about the evacuation of Dunkirk at the beginning of World War 2. It describes the situation from the boats, from the soldiers in France, and from the loved ones in England. I really think that many Nevil Shute fans will like this book too. Oh and by the way Lilian Harry loves Nevil Shutes books too. She is on the mailinglist of this newsletter.
From the Neterlands where the weather is lovely and very hot, see you next month