Alas, Babylon

I read this book as a young person, closer to the time that it was published, and I really liked it. It was a coherent piece of science fiction. Re-reading it 40 years later, I find that the plot is predictable and the writing commonplace, to my dismay. I fear that this book is not surviving the test of time.

This book is very much a product of its time. It is pretty misogynistic and more than a little racist. That being said, it really captures the fear and fascination of atomic power. Reminded me quite a bit of On the Beach by Nevil Shute, like On the Beach with the world building of Swiss Family Robinson.

This is a book of its time and pulls some punches I feel. It's far too soft in my opinion not really exploring the horrors that a nuclear war world bring with it. I can see how it would have made an impact at the time it was written but by today's standards it seems almost superficial. I enjoyed reading it, if enjoyed is the right word for it, but having been written in the 1950s it has it's issues. It tackles attitudes towards race in the south but not so much a woman's place! Books like this always make me wonder how much worse-off we'd be nowadays in the same situation given our total dependence on technology. Worth the read but not a page-turner.