Themes include a woman’s place in society, entrepreneurship, and renewal of life after war. The attitudes of the period are in evidence in racial issues and gender roles; however, the author is attempting to show that these views are false. For example, Jean, being a woman, is assumed to be incompetent with money, but she proves to be an astute businesswoman. She also figures out a way to improve the lives of the women of the Malayan village that helped her group during the war. Jean’s a great character too. She is a heroine you will be glad to have met. She has a head on her shoulders. She is strong, clear thinking and not intimidated by difficult circumstances. Every step along the way she’s one step ahead, making plans for the future. She has dreams and she works to realize these dreams.

The second part is a love story. While in Malaysia, Jean met an Australian soldier, Joe Harmon, and they fell in love, or at least in serious flirt. Jean thinks that Joe died in Malaysia and when she learns that he’s alive she goes to Australia to meet him and to see if they might be a true romance. This is your golden opportunity to swoon over Joe Harmon and laugh hysterically at Jean’s sarong problems. Since I’m mostly going to be writing about Jean, let me take a moment here to say that if Joe would stop using racist language for five minutes, he would be a romance hero for the ages – he’s protective of Jean without being patronizing, he risks his life to get her some soap and medicines and food in Malaysia, he knows that no means no, and he thinks it’s great that Jean is an ambitious business woman. Also, if you like your heroes laconic, he’s your guy. I managed to acquire easily most of Shute's titles over the years. This one took me longer. I have a feeling this book is a keeper for most people and that is why it rarely turns up in secondhand bookshops.CONTENTS Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Author's Note Too British For U.S. - Or Vice Versa". Variety. 22 January 1958. p.1 . Retrieved 20 October 2021– via Archive.org. Parallel Motion: A Biography of Nevil Shute Norway by John Anderson National Library of Australia free public access to books in Australian libraries. and that women ought not to be trusted to manage money on account of their giddiness until they are deep into their 30s, unless married and with children, however even in such circumstances the supervision of a suitably serious man is still advisable, I do hope that if you are reading this for the first time that you too love its gripping tale. If you are revisiting it, I hope a re-reading brings an increased appreciation of its excellent story-telling and that it makes you think about how much Australia has changed in the last seventy years.

A Town Like Alice (1956)". BFI. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019 . Retrieved 3 February 2019. A Town Like Alice (1980) – David Stevens – Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019 . Retrieved 3 February 2019. Jean survives in Malaysia because she takes time to learn the language, she respects the culture, and she adopts many Malaysian habits that make her life much easier and more comfortable. This is pointed out to the reader time and again, and white people who look down on Jean for adapting are portrayed as foolish. BOOM IN FILMS ABOUT AUSTRALIA". The Australian Women's Weekly. 21 September 1955. p.60 . Retrieved 17 May 2012– via National Library of Australia.

Jean is not a revolutionary figure. She doesn’t end segregation in Willstown. However, she is adamant that if she can’t serve the aboriginal people in her ice cream parlors and shops, then she will have to build an adjacent shop for them. “We can’t leave them out,” she says, and it’s implied that she takes some flak for it. The book was written in 1950 and feels like it at times. The attitudes of segregation and thoughtless caricatures of minorities creates feelings of discomfort and embarrassment.However, it's not done with malice, and the story isn't about racial barriers at all, so I didn't find it offensive. If anything, it allows a glimpse into an unapologetic view that most white people probably had at the time - which is actually an interesting glimpse on its own. Having read the blurb on this novel I was really looking forward to reading this story as it was described as "Entertaining" and "Dramatic" but unfortunately for me I neither found the book Dramatic or entertaining and really could only be pushed to describing it as a pleasant read that is neither exciting or memorable. After the war and repatriated to England, Jean’s lifestyle was a sedentary one. But after considerable time she learned something contrary to her beliefs and so headed for Australia in search of Joe; she needed to know if he was alright. Would she find him? Joe had spoken fondly of Alice Springs – could she find him in a town like Alice?

A TOWN LIKE ALICE, one of the most moving novels that I've ever had the privilege of reading, actually takes place in three connected segments. Drama, suspense, romance and superb story-telling! Would I recommend it to a potential reader? Oh my word, yes! Too right! I'm not sure exactly where I'd rank it but I am quite certain I'd add it to my list of best lifetime novels. Yes, it's THAT good. Over the years we have, on occasion, exchanged books. Having inherited my love of France from my father, I was keen for him to read one of my favourite authors, Joann Harris, most of whose novels are set in France, and he seemed to enjoy most of her books. On the whole though, my father tends to read fact-based books, whereas I’m a fan of fiction. Australia's good showing at Cannes Film Festival". The Australian Women's Weekly. 23 May 1956. p.23 . Retrieved 17 May 2012– via National Library of Australia.FINCH'S BIG CHANCE IN U.K. FILM". Sunday Times. Perth. 16 January 1955. p.38 . Retrieved 7 July 2012– via National Library of Australia. There are calls at the moment to ban books and films that are not politically correct. I am 100% against this and I feel it is extremely important to read novels which depict racism so that we can learn from the lessons of the past. You may disagree, but the place of fiction in giving us history lessons is, in my view, vital. As writer George Santayana said, “those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it”. I believe that fiction helps us to avoid that mistake.