Today we began with the background of the the book's author, Nevil Shute. Born in England, he studied Engineering Science before entering the aircraft industry and working in aeronautical engineering to build ships and airplanes. During WWII, he worked on developing secret weapons for the Royal Navy. After the war, he moved to Australia, which is where this novel takes place. The story is set primarily in and around Melbourne, Australia after World War III has devastated most of the populated world, polluting the atmosphere with nuclear fallout, and killing all life in the Northern Hemisphere. Global air currents are slowly carrying the lethal nuclear fallout to the Southern Hemisphere. The only parts of the planet still habitable are Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the southern parts of South America, although they are slowly succumbing to radiation poisoning as well. Seven months after the war, life in Melbourne continues reasonably normally, although the novel begins with the Australians experiencing shortages and an inability to connect with other countries. An American nuclear submarine, the USS Scorpion surfaces and comes ashore in Melbourne. We are introduced to Admiral Dwight Tower, his crew and the Australian characters they meet when they come ashore.