The protagonist, Randy, is introduced to the reader as an apathetic womanizing drunk. In the face of tragedy, he pulls his life together to become a leader of a small community faced with survival after being cut off from the rest of the world.

I felt it was an uplifting book. Written in the late '50's, when racial tensions are still high, the author describes situations where people of all walks of life must come together to survive.

If you are looking for a bleak PA novel, try 'The Road' or maybe 'On the Beach'.

'Alas, Babylon' did a great job of the particulars of survival when trade has stopped. There weren't very many holes in the plot or narriative.



Jon Moss (USA: KS) (2009/10/24):
Please visit GoodReads for my review of this novel.