FROM John Anderson
j.c.anderson@mail.com
Nevil Shute Conference, Oxford, 2015
Take 37 dedicated Shutists, locate them in the
historic setting of Balliol College, Oxford (Shute's Alma Mater),
add a mixture of fascinating presentations, excellent excursions and
you have some of the elements that went to make the 9th Nevil Shute
Conference last week such a success.
It was great to renew old friendships with
those who have been to these events before (including two have
attended all nine) and, in particular, to welcome those for whom it
was their first time. I hope, like me, they experienced the
camaraderie of the group, founded upon a mutual love of Shute's
novels and a desire to share views and experiences of our favourite
author and learn more about his varied careers as an engineer,
traveler and writer.
For me there were many highlights, but the
candlelit Conference Banquet in the Great Hall had a magical air,
with an excellent after dinner talk by Angie Groves with humorous
reminiscences of her family and "Uncle Nevil."
Meticulous planning and preparation by Alison
Jenner over many months ensured that everything ran smoothly.
Thank you Alison. It was a truly wonderful
event that will live long in the memory.
A full report, together with abstracts of the presentations etc. will be made available as soon as practicable.
Editor: Back in 2002, I
discovered John Henry’s Nevil Shute website. At that time, the
foundation website didn’t exist. John took the website offline,
but he kept it.
FROM John Henry
johnhenry@changeover.com
Laura has asked me for some history for the
Nevil Shute Convention and I supplied it. I asked if she would like
the files for the 1999 website and she said yes. There were 175
files and I figured it would be a pain to send by email so I put
them up at
www.packmachbook.com/shute
So now the 1999 website is fully functional
again. I recommend sunglasses, the graphics are a bit odd but that
was the fashion then.
I'll leave it up until I need the space on the
server.
If you plug the site in the newsletter, please plug my Packaging Machinery Handbook on whose server the Shute site sits. www.packmachbook.com
FROM Cedric
dalsecl@prtel.com
The Goodyear blimp will be retired after 13
years.For most people it is the only representative of the age of
dirigibles
Semi-rigid airships will be the replacements.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/aug/06/goodyear-blimp-final-flight-los-angeles-video
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodyear_Blimp#/media/File:Wingfoot_One_(N1A).jpg
FROM Gadepalli Subrahmanyam
gsmani174@gmail.com
I am glad to inform of introduction of a new
reader to Nevil Shute works.
I was debating as to which book would be the
best initiation. My choice was between 'A town like Alice''and
'Pied Piper. I left the choice to the new reader and gave him both
these books. He started with ATLA, and liked it so much, that I am
happy to announce another Nevil Shute addict.
My wish is that more effort to introduce new
readers, rather than to the films/DVDs based on his novels be made.
In fact, his depiction of the characters and the surroundings is so
graphic, that a film is unnecessary. Some e-book websites do carry
some of his works but not all.
Anyway, a nice book, with some things to munch during reading, is the best way to spend time.
Back in the Netherlands, after a wonderful week in
Oxford, spent with fellow Shutists. And what a beautiful location. You will
soon find photo’s on the website. Many of us had a Harry Potter feeling.
The newsletter is very short this month. We think that
it needs a bit of modernizing, and are working on that now.
From the Netherlands, where we are having wonderful weather.
See you all next month.
