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On the Beach

 Nevil Shute
 

Important Quotations Explained

 
"But no wind does blow down right into the Southern Hemisphere from the Northern Hemisphere. If it did we'd all be dead right now."
 
"I wish we were," she said bitterly. "It's like waiting to be hung."
 
"Maybe it is. Or maybe it's a period of grace."
 
 
 
It wasn't the big countries that set off this thing. It was the little ones, the Irresponsibles.
 
 
 
"No imagination whatsoever," remarked the scientist. "It's the same with all of you service people. That can't happen to me." He paused. "But it can. And it certainly will."
 
"I suppose I haven't got any imagination," said Peter thoughtfully. It's—it's the end of the world. I've never had to imagine anything like that before."
 
 
 
Maybe we've been too silly to deserve a world like this.
 
 
 
Nobody worried very much about the prospect of a car spinning off the course and killing a few spectators…
 
 
 
 
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