July's Read: Alas, Babylon

Alas, Babylon is a 1959 novel by American writer Pat Frank (the pen name of Harry Hart Frank). It was one of the first post-apocalyptic novels of the nuclear age and remains popular fifty years after it was first published. The novel deals with the effects of a nuclear war on the small town of Fort Repose, Florida, which is based upon the actual city of Mount Dora.

The novel's title is derived from Revelation 18:10, which is interpreted and quoted in the book as describing the aftermath of a nuclear attack. In the King James Bible, this passage reads:

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.

Here are a few questions for study and discussion.

How does Pat Frank reveal character in Alas, Babylon?
What are some symbols in Alas, Babylon? How do they relate to the plot and characters?
What is the central/primary purpose of the story? Is the purpose important or meaningful?
How does the past figure into the novel?
What is the role of women in this novel?
How do politics figure into the novel?


Be sure to vote in the poll to help choose the next read! You can vote for as many as sound interesting! A vote will keep that book in the running.

What to read next poll

To help you decide what books you may be interested in reading, I will post some details about the books in the poll. Please check boxes for all you are interested in reading. Except the first two, these books are nominees to win the Beehive Award for 2009 or 2010 given by the Children's Literature Association of Utah. If you have any other suggestions, please put them in the comments section and we will consider those as well.


Prophecy: Key to the future, by Duane Crowther
Explores LDS prophecy regarding the future of America and the events leading up to the second coming of Jesus Christ.












Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

a 1959 novel that was one of the first post-apocalyptic novels of the nuclear age and remains popular fifty years after it was first published. The novel deals with the effects of a nuclear war on the small town of Fort Repose, Florida, which is based upon the actual city of Mount Dora.





Someone Named Eva, by Joann Wolf

Kidnapped from her village, Milada struggles to remember who she really is as she grows up in a Nazi reeducation school. This book is based on a true story.





Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature, by Robin Brande

Mena is at odds with her conservative family and friends when she stands up for a teacher who refuses to include "Intelligent Design" in lessons on evolution.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In a future North America, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in a televised survival competition.

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

When twelve-year-old Addie and her mother go to live in a small trailer by the railroad tracks on the outskirts of Schenectady,k New York, Addie tries to cope with her mother's erratic behavior.

Night of the Howling Dogs, by Graham Salisbury

A Boy Scout campout in Hawaii turns into a struggle for survival that tests courage and friendship. This story is inspired by real events following a devastating tsunami.

Airman by Eoin Colfer

Conor Broekhart discovers a conspiracy to overthrow the king. He is branded a traitor, imprisoned, and force4d to mine diamonds under brutal conditions. He plans a daring escape.

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television, tasted a pizza, or even heard of a wedgie. But when his grandmother lands in the hospital, Cap lands in public school.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested, three teens go to the extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs --and, perhaps, save their own lives.

The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull

Fifth-graders Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon meet the owner of the new candy store in town and are given a magical candy that endows them with super powers. They find that along with benefits are also dangerous consequences.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Five sisters who live with their merchant father in Transylvania use a hidden portal in the home to cross over into a magical wold, the Wildwood.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years because of Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.

As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. With the arrival outside the tower of Saren’s two suitors—one welcome, the other decidedly less so—the girls are confronted with both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.

With Shannon Hale’s lyrical language, this little-known classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset in a land inspired by the Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise.

Discussion questions:
· How would the story have been different if Dashti had been less patient and subservient with her social superiors?
· Could Dashti have been the same person if she were beautiful? Would it have changed her relationships with the other characters?
· Dashti’s relationships with animals are also important to her. Have you had a pet who meant as much to you as My Lord or Mucker did to Dashti?
· If you were going to be locked into a tower for seven years, what would you take with you?