Nevil Shute's On the Beach is a strange story. It's horrifying, depressing, but also fascinating. Taking place a few months after a catastrophic nuclear war that spread a lethal quantity of radioactive cobalt dust through the atmosphere, the book follows the last year or so of five characters living in the south end of Australia, as the deadly cloud slowly makes its way to them.

On the Beach is strange for a variety of reasons: One, the science of how cobalt dust would move through the atmosphere isn't quite right. Two, the characters and the minor characters around them are mostly resigned, not crazily determined to find a way to save themselves. It's one of the most overstated examples of the proverbial British "stiff upper lip" that I've ever seen in a book. Third, and this tells us something about apocalyptic stories now, there is no zombie horde, no irradiated cults, no massive riots. The impersonal (but no less deadly) cloud of dust descends upon them with very little fanfare.

Despite this strangeness, the book is incredibly gripping for its dutiful characters, imaginative setting, and unique tone. It's unlike anything I've ever read.

That's why I made a short video review of the book, in hopes that I might encourage a few people to read it.

Beware, though, this is not a book to read if you're depressed or otherwise in a rough spot.

Pick up a copy here: https://a.co/d/17g1fsw