Nothing So Strange

A strange story, told by indirection, as Jane Waring, through recurrent interviews with a mysterious Mr. Small who is trying to get from her all she can give him of her knowledge of Mark Bradley, tells Brads story, as she knows it. In complete darkness as to Smalls purpose, Jane withholds (both from him and the reader) many connecting links, impressions, emotional overtones and undertonestelling only what each question involves. Bit by bit the pieces fall into placeand when after some time contact is made again with Brad in California, and he is given leave from the neuropsychiatric ward where he has been assigned to visit her, he himself fills in the gaps. Janes faith in himher willingness to let things take their courseachieve the desired results, as Hiroshima and the news release of the secret of the Manhattan Project gives Brad the final release from horror and tension that has held him through the years. The plot itself is an original one

James Hilton (19001954) was a bestselling English novelist and Academy Awardwinning screenwriter. After attending Cambridge University, Hilton worked as a journalist until the success of his novels Lost Horizon (1933) and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1934) launched his career as a celebrated author. Hiltons writing is known for its depiction of English life between the two world wars, its celebration of English character, and its honest portrayal of life in the early twentieth century.