Alas, Babylon

A 1960s stereotypical patriot Marlboro Man saves the day and reinvents America from Florida after the nuclear war with Russia leaves most of it devastated. A possible precursor to Mara Lago Man? It was much less convincing this time reading, but interesting because I knew where it went already, and it was interesting for that 60s nostalgia. It really made me want to "duck and cover" again. The racism and sexism of the day is also quite obvious. This was mandatory reading in highschool, around 1970 is when I first read it. I'm sure it was somewhat revolutionary at that time and in that context, cold war and all. It's gotta be high on the Maga reading list, for the ones who can actually read, that is. Here's all the justification anyone needs for packing that sidearm for the apocalypse, partner. I'm surprised John Wayne didn't make a movie out of it. But he apparently didn't do much sci-fi. No sci-fi here. Even the nukes happen elsewhere. It's a Western, really, with a GI cowboy.

I don't know if this was an early example of the breed but this story carries many features in common with others that came after: the setup of idyllic life before, the looming threat of and finally the shock of the disaster. What follows thereafter is a systematic rediscovery of how to make a civilization work without the usual support network of federal, state or even local government. Stephen King did it with The Stand, Larry Niven with Lucifer's Hammer, and many others. It's good, but not unique.

A story that after more than 50 years is still actual. It must have been so much scarier for the people of 1959, when the prospect of a nuclear war was a daily fear. However, compared to "One Second After" by William R. Forstchen, the disaster doesn't seem so great. While both books tell the story of a suddenly isolated community surviving on its own, the Fort Repose doesn't have to deal with the thousands of people traveling in search of food. And while the loss of human life is huge in "Alas, Babylon", it's not as personal.