Reddit Reddit reviews Alas, Babylon

We found 15 Reddit comments about Alas, Babylon. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

Literature & Fiction
Books
Classic Literature & Fiction
Alas, Babylon
Harper Perennial
Check price on Amazon

15 Reddit comments about Alas, Babylon:

u/locolarue · 29 pointsr/television

There's a similar moment in the novel Alas, Babylon.

The main character, who lives in a small town in central Florida, has just taken out all his money from his bank account because he knows there's going to be a nuclear war. He gives a cryptic answer to the bank managers questions, so the banker decides to make a call.

Banker: Yes, I'd like to speak to the manager of the First National Bank in Jacksonville.

Operator: Just a moment.

The operator works to connect the call. The banker happens to be facing northeast. A bright flash of light on the horizon makes him wince.

Operator: I'm sorry sir, I can't connect you to Jacksonville. It's not there anymore.

u/chonggo · 12 pointsr/printSF

Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven is pretty good.

Alas, Babylon is one of the classic post-apocalyptic scifi novels. As is a "A Canticle for Leibowitz", mentioned above.

EDIT: I just noticed that "Lucifer's Hammer" won the Hugo award, which is a big deal if you didn't already know. Another book that comes to mind that you might like is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. Not quite the same genre, but similar, and a real classic as well. And really good!

u/dave9199 · 11 pointsr/preppers

On My Shelf:

Nonfiction:


[where there is no doctor] (https://www.amazon.com/Where-There-No-Doctor-Handbook/dp/0942364155)

[where there is no dentist] (https://www.amazon.com/Where-There-Dentist-Murray-Dickson/dp/0942364058/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0942364058&pd_rd_r=P7QG34TNRGWWJ4VG3CES&pd_rd_w=zUT5r&pd_rd_wg=bQSPa&psc=1&refRID=P7QG34TNRGWWJ4VG3CES)

[emergency war surgery] (https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-War-Surgery-Survivalists-Reference-ebook/dp/B007FH3S8C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492111178&sr=1-1&keywords=war+surgery)

[Seed to Seed, a seed saving book] (https://www.amazon.com/Seed-Growing-Techniques-Vegetable-Gardeners/dp/1882424581/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492111210&sr=1-1&keywords=seed+saving)

[mini farming] (https://www.amazon.com/Mini-Farming-Self-Sufficiency-Brett-Markham/dp/1602399840/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1602399840&pd_rd_r=QYQGAKY6D2PJX21W5DBC&pd_rd_w=ZSjVd&pd_rd_wg=MKw9N&psc=1&refRID=QYQGAKY6D2PJX21W5DBC)


[square foot gardening] (https://www.amazon.com/All-Square-Foot-Gardening-Revolutionary/dp/1591865484/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1591865484&pd_rd_r=NW7HBPKNFJ2J8JYTR22M&pd_rd_w=kMSVD&pd_rd_wg=v6qzT&psc=1&refRID=NW7HBPKNFJ2J8JYTR22M)


[Ball Canning Guide] (https://www.amazon.com/All-Ball-Book-Canning-Preserving/dp/0848746783/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492111296&sr=1-1&keywords=ball+canning)


[Steve Rinella's Big Game] (https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Hunting-Butchering-Cooking/dp/081299406X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492111322&sr=1-1&keywords=rinella+guide)

[Steve Rinella's Small Game] (https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Hunting-Butchering-Cooking/dp/0812987055/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0812987055&pd_rd_r=HSSM813BSWTXN5Q77P1R&pd_rd_w=j1UjP&pd_rd_wg=OWNY6&psc=1&refRID=HSSM813BSWTXN5Q77P1R)

[root cellaring] (https://www.amazon.com/Root-Cellaring-Natural-Storage-Vegetables/dp/0882667033/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492111429&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=root+cellarig)

[country wisdom and know how] (https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Wisdom-Know-How-Everything-Harvest/dp/1579128378/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492111470&sr=1-3&keywords=country+wisdom)

[timberframe construction] (https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Timber-Frame-Craftsmanship-Simplicity/dp/1612126685/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492111553&sr=1-9&keywords=cabin+construction)

[Ham radio -tech] (https://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual/dp/1625950136/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492111593&sr=1-1&keywords=ham+radio)

[ham radio general] (https://www.amazon.com/General-Class-License-Manual-Amateur/dp/1625950306/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1625950306&pd_rd_r=12TE98J0V80PC5Z8PMNJ&pd_rd_w=EfgM9&pd_rd_wg=jqqg2&psc=1&refRID=12TE98J0V80PC5Z8PMNJ)

[The FoxFire Series ] (https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Collection-Anniversary-Editions-Anniversay/dp/B00MRH3RYU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1492879953&sr=8-4&keywords=foxfire)

Also pickup up books on useful skills: raising rabbits, welding, different random construction books.

Fiction:

[Lucifer's Hammer] (https://www.amazon.com/Lucifers-Hammer-Larry-Niven/dp/0449208133/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492880068&sr=1-1&keywords=lucifers+hammer)

[One second After] (https://www.amazon.com/Second-After-John-Matherson-Novel/dp/0765356864/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492880115&sr=1-1&keywords=one+second+after)

[the martian] (https://www.amazon.com/Martian-Andy-Weir/dp/0553418025/ref=pd_sim_14_41?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0553418025&pd_rd_r=D4JHG0ERDKJXA7NYCZHX&pd_rd_w=vAle5&pd_rd_wg=9wBYx&psc=1&refRID=D4JHG0ERDKJXA7NYCZHX)

[the road] (https://www.amazon.com/Road-Cormac-McCarthy/dp/0307387895/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492880272&sr=1-1&keywords=the+road0)

[alas babylon] (https://www.amazon.com/Alas-Babylon-Pat-Frank/dp/0060741872/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492880316&sr=1-10&keywords=babylon)

u/threedice · 10 pointsr/AskReddit

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. Imagine what the people of 1957 thought a nuclear attack might look like. Freaked me out when I read it as a kid.

u/Cavemahn · 8 pointsr/preppers

Alas Babylon, Pat Frank

Alas, Babylon https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060741872/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ebNOyb0RVVA8F

Lucifers Hammer, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

Lucifer's Hammer https://www.amazon.com/dp/0449208133/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QcNOybDZMX7AJ

Edit: The top post has most of my favorites, but these two are missing from the thread.

u/duckhunter · 7 pointsr/books

Alas Babylon by Pat Frank

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (YA)

the dead and the gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer (YA)

(links above go to Amazon.com and are non-referral links)

u/edheler · 6 pointsr/preppers

You certainly have a good start. There are a few things in your list that are still in my to read pile. I see a few holes in your collection that I am sure that you will eventually get to reading:

  • Lights Out by David Crawford
  • Enemies Foreign And Domestic by Matthew Bracken
  • Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista by Matthew Bracken
  • Foreign Enemies And Traitors by Matthew Bracken
  • Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
  • Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
  • Apocalypse Law by John Grit (first book of a series)

    Personally, I prefer Joe Nobody over A. American. Glen Tate's series is good but runs out of steam towards the end. John Grit's first book is rough but the series gets better. I couldn't get past Bradley's first book. I am sure I could list more books but my bookcases aren't very organized at the moment.

    I would also highly recommend that you branch out into dystopias. There is a lot of shared space with apocalyptic fiction. There is a lot to be learned from 1984, Brave New World, It Can't Happen Here, Wool (series) and The Iron Heel.
u/Orlando1701 · 5 pointsr/florida

There's a reason why Alas Babylon was one of my favorite books going to high school in this state.

u/[deleted] · 3 pointsr/Fallout

If you want books in the same vein try:

Alas, Babylon

Swan Song

Z for Zacharia

A Boy and His Dog which was a direct influence on Fallout. There is also a movie.

The entire Deathlands series.


... that's all I can think of off the top of my head that I've read.

u/plethoraofpinatas · 3 pointsr/PostCollapse

These are books which I have read twice or more and would read again and again on the topic of post-collapse:

Alas Babylon

On the Beach

The Postman - not like the movie with Kevin Costner (just based upon and quite different)

One Second After - currently the most realistic and scariest of the bunch I think.

Earth Abides

Lucifer's Hammer - this one I wouldn't read without many years between as the start is sooooo slow but the second half is good.

u/doctechnical · 2 pointsr/books

How about Alas, Babylon - but that's a bit dated, it takes place in 1960. More up-to-date would be A Distant Eden, taking place in modern day, and dealing with an EMP event that sets civilization back to a 19th century level of technology with pretty awful results.

u/Alfalfa_69 · 2 pointsr/tipofmytongue

This is one of the classics in that genre...

Alas, Babylon

On that page, they have a lot of other books like it, maybe you'll find yours there. Good luck!

u/participating · 1 pointr/books

Flanagan's Run by Tom McNab. I found it in my grandparents' basement and it's been a favorite of mine ever since. Also, Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank.

u/satansballs · 1 pointr/books

Obligatory wiki links: Dystopian Literature. Although, some of the titles listed don't seem to fit (The Dispossessed?). Nuclear holocaust fiction, and your general apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction.

Some of the better/more popular ones:

  • Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang Kate Wilhelm.

  • Eternity Road Jack McDevitt. Well written, but not very insightful.

  • The Postman David Brin.

  • Mockingbird Walter Tevis. Great read. Think Idiocracy, with a serious take. Humanity's totally run by robots, everyone's forgotten how to read and think for themselves, and the world population's dropped to almost nothing.

  • We Yevgeny Zamyatin. The inspiration for George Orwell's 1984. Not the best read IMO, but some people claim it's better than 1984. It's possible I read a poor translation.

  • Island Aldous Huxley. It's a utopian island surrounded by a dystopian world. Might not fit in this list, but it's a good read if you like Huxley. I think it was his last novel.

  • 1984 George Orwell. One of my favorite novels. I have a bumper sticker with the quote "War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, Freedom is Slavery", which is a slogan from the book. (Also, a sticker on my mirror with "Under the spreading chestnut tree, I sold you and you sold me"). The link points to Animal Farm and 1984.

  • Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury. Another must read. Very well written, thought-provoking novel. Is it still required reading in schools?

  • Earth Abides George Stewart.

  • Alas, Babylon Pat Frank. Lucifer's Hammer Larry Niven/Jerry Pournelle. I'm grouping these two together because they're very similar, both in setting and politics. I didn't really enjoy either. The politics were not at all subtle, and the characters fit too neatly into stereotypes, and too obviously the writer's hero fantasy. Still, they're pretty popular, so try them out and feel free to disagree with me.

  • Brave New World Aldous Huxley. Really just a utopia that's rough around the edges, if I'm remembering it correctly (also called an anti-utopia, thank you wikipedia). Another must read.

  • A Canticle for Leibowitz Walter Miller.

  • Memoirs Found in a Bathtub Stanislaw Lem. Another favorite. I once created a text adventure based on this book. It was about as frustrating as that Hitchhiker's Guide game.

  • The Road Cormac McCarthy.

  • Philip K. Dick It's hard to keep track of PKD's novels, but some of them are dystopian, all of them worth reading. Favorites: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (also known as/inspired Blade Runner), Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said, The Man in the High Castle.

  • The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake Margaret Atwood.

  • Y: The Last Man A graphical novel/comic collection. Decent art, great story.

    Zombies: World War Z, Raise the Dead, Marvel Zombies, Zombie Survival Guide, Day By Day Armageddon, I Am Legend.

    Also, just for kicks, some of my favorite dystopian movies:
    Brazil, Soylent Green, 12 Monkeys, Blade Runner, Akira, Children of Men, Dark City, A Boy and His Dog, Logan's Run, Idiocracy, Equillibrium.