Alas, the passing of time - Rated 
Written in 1959 and one of the first influential apocalyptic novels about the threat of nuclear holocaust, the tale follows the decisions of Randy Bragg, a Korean War veteran and failed local politician, who is warned of the coming war by his brother, an Air Force colonel. The outbreak of war is almost an accident - one 'minor' incident quickly escalates - but there is an air of inevitability about it. Two armed camps are facing up to one another, there is a gunslinger mentality (not to mention bombers) in the air, and there's a macho itch needs scratching ... someone, somewhere has to discover who is the fastest gun in the West, or maybe East.
Bragg is left with other survivors in a small town. No one knows what has happened. It seems clear there have been nuclear strikes against most major US cities and missile bases, but none of the survivors know what has happened. Has the war ended? Is it still going on? Is there anyone else still alive? Bragg takes a lead in organising people locally.
There is something reassuring about the novel, and therefore something glaringly unrealistic. While the nuclear exchange between the USA and Soviet Union has destroyed their urban areas and killed countless millions, somehow the US government manages to continue functioning ... the surviving senior politician takes charge and tries to reorganise the nation and its government. Neville Shute's "On the Beach" portrays the few survivors of nuclear war waiting for the fallout cloud to kill them, "Alas Babylon" suggests that the end is far from nigh. Indeed, one of its concluding paragraphs poses the question, "Who Won?"
It's an entertaining enough and well enough written novel, but it does suffer from its harrowing sense of optimism ... or is that blind nationalism? Rather than a bleak, truly apocalyptic warning of the dangers posed by nuclear war, "Alas Babylon" offers not merely a conviction that survival is possible, but an appeal to 'American values' ... Bragg seizes the initiative locally and sets about rebuilding his community in a parody of the American Western.
The novel presents post-apocalyptic images of recolonisation, of the hardy settlers forging law and order out of the wilderness (Bragg shoots and lynches a number of outlaws). There is no genocidal removal of the native population - we assume the Soviets have all been killed, we do not know if anyone else in Europe (or Asia, or elsewhere) has survived, or, indeed, has been involved in the war. The novel is purely about survival of the USA and recovery (albeit it with a depleted population). Rather than serve as a warning, rather than appear as a radical piece of science fiction, it can be seen as glib in places, leaving major questions unanswered and the central issue of the potential nuclear destruction of the planet treated as ultimately escapable and survivable.
Perfect storytelling, simple but so so effective - Rated 
Nuclear war viewed through the eyes of a small isolated Florida community.
It seemed to me from reading the blurb that any story that didn't move location in its entirety must be somewhat lacking in its lasting appeal to the reader. Oh how I was wrong.
First off, I am a big sucker for this kind of apolcalyptic tale, stories where a small group of people watch society fall apart around them are perfect for portraying not only the often overlooked fragility of modern life but also the inherent animal strength of mankind forced to survive in a world torn apart.
Because of this Alas Babylon is one of my favourite ever novels, vying with the Day of the Triffids for that crown but where that story is fantastical and science fiction this is oh so real and chillingly possible.
I could go on for pages praising this book and its author but I won't! Suffice to say, this is an incredible novel. Not for fantastical settings or powerful character dynamics but for the simple and yet effective style in which it illustrates the world we know (albeit a somewhat old fashioned world) being blown apart and an average guy striving to look after those he loves.
For anyone who ever looked at the world around them and thought... What if? What if suddenly everything we rely on and base ourselves on was stripped away. Would I survive? Read it and find out.
Worth a look........ - Rated
'Alas, Babylon' is a novel that falls into the post disaster category, being about a Florida community trying to survive the aftermath of a nuclear war. It could be acccused of being a 'cosy catastrophe' - despite a continental holocaust little really bad happens to the main character and he actually seems to benefit from the experience in many ways. However, it is well written and since it was originally published in 1959 it gives an insight into the politics and societial structures of the time. If (like me) you've enjoyed the catastrophe literature of John Wyndham and John Christopher it's certainly worth a look......pity about the really flimsy covers of this edition though........
Alas, Babylon - Pat Frank - Rated
I first read this book when I was twelve or thirteen, some thirty
odd years ago, and have read that original copy to peices over the years,(literally). Its story of the survival of one small town in Florida, in the afermath of a nuclear war is unfortunately as timely and poiniant today as it was back in the 1960's when I first read it. Today's worldwide political situations come to mind. I would recomend the reading of this book, for not only is it thought provocing, but its also a terrific storey.
Excellent, a must read and still relevant today ! - Rated
This book is excellent. One has only to think of Yugoslavia or the worst-case-scenarios of the Y2K problem to see how timely this book really is. It is a study of survival What makes it unique amongst such stories is that the focus is on the survival of the community as a whole, not just an individual. Most stories of the collapse of civilization are about its effect on one individual. The collapse of civilization becomes nothing more than a backdrop for exciting and heroic personal adventures. This novel was first published during the Cold War (in 1960) nearly 40 years ago. Since the Cold War is over, isn't it hopelessly out of date? Sadly, it is not. One has only to watch the evening news to see how grimly relevant it is. Pat Frank states in the Foreword that his purpose was to show realistically how terrible a nuclear war would be. His theme is stated and restated, that there will be no winners, no victors in such a war. All will be destroyed. Ironically, this is the one area where the book is out-of-date. It was written before we knew about nuclear winter. Also, too many atomic bombs fall. The radiation level would be much higher than he portrays. Realistically, there would be no survivors. This flaw is what makes the book relevant and valuable. Forget a nuclear war between two superpowers. The true subject of the book is to look at what happens to a small town that is suddenly and totally isolated. What happens to the ordinary citizen? What happens to Randy, his family and his friends? Alas, Babylon is utterly realistic. The town has to learn to defend itself -- so that it can then cope with the truly serious problems of survival. I'm not going to say what solutions are found. I am going to recommend reading this book. One only has to watch the news to realise how real this story is. It could happen anytime, you only have to look at the Middle East and Yugoslavia to see how real this book is. Read it!
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