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Alas, Babylon
belongs to the sci-fi subgenre called post-apocalyptic fiction. In
1959, a time in the Cold War when tensions between the USSR and the
United States were heightened and when the nuclear threat was
becoming a concern for many people, Pat Frank,
journalist and government consultant, asked himself "what if..." and
imagined the tragedy and its consequences.
The novel focuses on a small Florida town, Fort
Repose, and some of its inhabitants. Randy Bragg, who fought in
Korea, lives an easy life on his family estate: he occasionally
consults as an attorney, but mainly, he enjoys the company of women
and is on the verge of becoming an alcoholic.
However, when a message from his brother Mark, an Air Force colonel, ending with the words "Alas, Babylon" reaches
him, Randy knows that life as he has known
it until then is about to end. Mark is
sending his wife and kids to live with
him, because he suspects that the Russians are about to launch nuclear missiles, and he believes Fort Repose should be
spared thanks to its remote location. From one day to the next, Randy changes from a
careless bachelor to a man in charge of a family, and this is not
the last nor the least of the transformations he will undergo. Trying to prepare for the
imminent catastrophe, Randy buys reserves of foods, gas and other
necessities, and braces himself for the worst...
The worst happens: the Day, as they call it...
Most American towns and military bases are destroyed. If radiations
seem to have spared Fort Repose, others problems will arise from
the lack of electricity, water and food. For the characters of the
book, two options remain open: die or survive...
Even though the novel is outdated and
preoccupations about the Cold War seem far away, the nuclear threat
remains, making this novel somewhat disquieting. The
knowledge about nuclear weapons and their
consequences has increased, making some parts of the book obsolete.
I really did not care about this though, since the main interest of the book is
the sociologic
aspect. The reader witnesses the collapse of the monetary system in just
one
day, followed by the destruction of
the entire economy. Swapping first
necessity items becomes the only admissible exchange and, when it
comes to human beings, the last often becomes the first...
Pat Frank shows how true human nature
reemerges when society collapses. His vision is mainly optimistic,
showing faith in the human being: of course some people become
renegade and live as parasites, but Randy and his circle of friends,
family and neighbors rebuild a microcosm based on solidarity, hard
work and tough justice, with Randy as a leader.
A good post-apocalyptic novel, though
outdated...
Rating: 
© Discussing Books, 01/02/2003 |
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