Author: Pat Frank
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| via Goodreads |
In 1959, Pat Frank, a journalist and government consultant by day, wrote a novel based on the great what-if scenario of the era: what would happen if the nuclear war everyone feared actually happened? Alas, Babylon follows the story of Randy Bragg as he leads his family and community after Soviet missiles have destroyed much of the United States. Fort Repose, a fictional Florida town, is isolated enough to have been spared direct attack and the resulting radiation. But with the major cities in rubble, the comforts of modern civilization are severely limited and eventually exhausted. Survival is the initial drive, then adjustment, then ultimately acceptance and rebuilding.
Pat Frank was clearly a practical man. While there is some exploration of relationships, subtlety and nuance are as scarce as food and potable water. Instead, the author focuses on community management. Over time, Randy and his group overcome supply shortages and lawlessness to forge new, meaningful lives. As a survival narrative, Alas, Babylon is thoughtful, thorough and even hopeful, no doubt providing a template for other post-apocalyptic stories to follow.
Not surprisingly, attitudes towards sex and race reflect the time period. Gender expectations are firm, roles and responsibilities delineated. The story is pro-integration but there is still a patronizing attitude towards the black neighbors. And yet, the emergency results in a woman President (shocking!) and several of the female and black characters are portrayed in an heroic light - Latinx characters decidedly less so. By late '50s standards, Pat Frank would probably pass for progressive but he sure wouldn't now.
If you're interested in a more factual account of what surviving a nuclear attack is actually like, I can't recommend the Barefoot Gen manga series about the Hiroshima bombing highly enough.
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