25 - Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

Insomnia has led me to devour another book in the wee hours of the morning. I finished Alas, Babylon at 3:00 AM this morning. It was excellent. As I have said before, I am mesmerized by stories of the end of the world. I love to see how people react to whatever cataclysm has brought their lives to a screeching halt.

In Alas, Babylon, the general idea (this book is a product of the Cold War) is that "the enemy" (unknown even to the most savvy Americans in the book) has unleashed a nuclear holocaust on every major city in the Western world. Using what the author Entire sections of the United States are rendered barren and uninhabitable for the next 5,000 years. The rest of the country and much of the world is thrust back into the Neolithic lifestyle: hunting with spears and knives, cooking meat over open fires, and foraging for vegetables as best they can. In a tiny corner of Florida, one man has some warning (his military brother's suspicions) and is able to prepare a bit. He quickly becomes the de facto leader of a new little society of survivors. As they struggle to meet their basic needs, they rebuild a new and infinitely more satisfying, if more dangerous, life for themselves.

Without giving anything away, I think the ending of the book was excellent. I believe that the decision each person made is exactly appropriate to his or her character, right down to the reasons given. It's very interesting.