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Pat Frank or known as Harry Hart Frank published the book named Alas, Babylon. He received popularity as an American writer who wrote an apocalyptic novel focused on the new nuclear age. He also wrote one original screenplay for the 1963 Bay of Pigs.
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Author: Pat Frank
Genre: Apocalyptic novel
Pages: 352
Good reads rating: 4.07 of 5
My Rating: 8 of 10
Published: 2005 (Re-edition)
Publisher: Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Language: English
For The Latest Price: Alas, Babylon
***Warning Spoilers Below This Point***
The theme of the novel revolves around the era of the cold war between the United States and Russia, then known as the Soviet Union. The main character in the novel is Mark Bragg, an officer in the Airforce who warns his brother Randy about the start of a nuclear war.
In between these tensions, Bragg sent his wife Helen and his children to live with Randy, who lived in an isolated town of Florida. Mark lived in Omaha. Meanwhile, Randy warned his girlfriend, relatives, and his friends as tensions are escalating between two countries.
The very next day war breaks out and destroyed the main cities of Florida. Washington also became destroyed and a regime change happened. Everyone’s life became destroyed and everyone experienced major problems with their personal and professional extortion.
All the states, as well as the cities, experience several shortages including freshwater supplies, fishes, food and no access to salt. Randy solved the problem. He found his ancestors diary and nearby he discovered a pool with plenty of salt to supply.
After some time planes started to fly over the cities and a helicopter landed carrying Paul Hart, a friend of Randy before the war. Paul was a military man of the war. He told Randy about the real condition of the country regarding the survival of humans and the time they need to recover. Paul mentioned that Mark died in the war and now Helen can marry him. He asked Randy’s permission to take Helen and her children out of the Fort Repose. They settle in a camp area for safety reasons.
The whole story revolves around the era of the cold war as many people lose their lives, job, family and houses. It resembles a condition of a family who lost their brother in the war and whose wife falls in love with his brother-in-law’s friend who was also a military man. I rate this book an 8 out of 10 because of the interesting storyline it presents. Would I re-read this novel? Yes. Am I glad I read it? Yes.
For The Latest Price: Alas, Babylon
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