On The Beach, by Nevil Shute
![](https://photos1.similarworlds.com/00/00/00/00/03/90/51/94/Bellatrix2024-j1btqVDNyl1T3FK.jpg)
I just finished it, and although the overall story is rather depressing (it's about the last days on earth), the overall feel and atmosphere of the story is of the kind I could easily get used to. Written in 1957, there are no smartphones, no internet, no people who are confused about their "identities", no greedy and corrupt politicians, no crime, no violence - it's like the late 50's as people remember it, due to nostalgia, but not how it actually was for most.
The pace is slow, relaxed, and no one ever gets worked up about anything (like politics). As I was reading it I just completely forgot about everything that the 21st century is all about. I was sitting outside, the cat was next to me, and it was incredibly peaceful and quiet.