The Beach (alkuperäinen julkaisuvuosi 1996; vuoden 1998 painos)

Twenty-something Richard is backpacking in Thailand in the early or mid 1990s, hanging with other backpackers on roads familiar to non-natives there, when he happens to meet a strange character who goes by the name "Daffy Duck". He mentions a beach, a pristine, beautiful beach, not far. The next morning Richard finds that he is dead, suicide, but that he left him a note. A map.

Richard tells us that one beach after another becomes popular in Thailand, and then is eventually destroyed and another one is found. This "secret" beach seems worth finding. At least to someone who has yet to figure out where his life is going, who has the time.

Richard hooks up with a few others and they set off together to find the beach. Their trip is not without hazards but they do find their way there. And what a 'there" it is. It is a little community, not yet self-sustaining but trying to get there. There is a bunk house, a kitchen, a garden, bathrooms, and, of course, a beach. The life seems idyllic. Richard and his mates are assigned to catch fish every morning, which they do easily, along with another small group. Each person is assigned an area to work, including the reclusive Jed, who alone watches the cannabis fields nearby (managed by another group, not related to the beach group) for intruders and selectively steals cannabis as needed for the group.

As time goes on Richard realizes how important it is to keep the secret of the beach. Yet he himself had casually shared his knowledge with a few others before actually arriving there, and he worries.

As is often the case with communities like this, there are conflicts. Not least among those who founded and built the community and those who came later. There is very real danger beyond the borders of the community itself.

At times fun, at times mysterious, at times frightening, in its complexity I can see why it would be considered a kind of classic. ( )

well i wanted to read a dumb book and i did! ( )

I definitely enjoyed this book, but it's a disturbing read. Violence, drugs, etc. Worth a trip down the rabbit hole, though. ( )

Pitched at a younger readership I believe. Didn't work for me. ( )

This is book #1 for my summer reading. It was a good book to kick off my summer. Mr. Garland has successfully created an atmosphere of the secret beach and the hippie community. I felt the heat and the saltiness of the air. The ending also has a good twist, totally unexpected (I haven't watched the film!). ( )