Pat Frank AKA Harry Hart Alas, Babylon

Relevance Still today there is a threat of nuclear devastation of the world continues to be a possibility

Title’s Meaning Revelation 18:10, King James version of the Christian Bible: “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.”

Setting Fort Repose, Florida a small town, quite a distance from all major cities in Florida) late 1950s-early 1960s during the Cold War with Russia

Themes Survival against the odds Personal redemption & recovery War Breakdown of society Isolation Love

Major Characters Randy Bragg (Protagonist - young, unmarried, ex-military alcoholic) Dan Gunn (friend of Randy and recently divorced doctor of small town) Mark Bragg (military big-wig stationed at SAC in Omaha, Nebraska; warns that nuclear war is coming)

Helen Bragg (Mark’s wife) Peyton (Mark and Helen’s daughter, age 11) Ben Franklin (Mark and Helen’s son, age 13) Lib (Elizabeth) McGovern (Randy’s girlfriend)

Secondary / Minor Characters Florence Wechek (Randy’s neighbor, a Western Union operator, the town gossip) Alice Cooksey (town librarian and Florence’s best friend) Bill McGovern (Lib's father) Admiral Hazzard (A retired naval officer, a ham radio operator; neighbor to Randy)

The Henrys- black family, neighbor to Randy and Admiral Hazzard Missouri Henry (Randy’s cleaning lady) Malachai Henry (mechanic, served in “The War”) Two-tone Henry Preacher Henry (the minister who inspired the brothers’ code “Alas, Babylon”)

Plot Mark sends Randy the message “Alas, Babylon” Helen and the children come to stay indefinitely with Randy, while Mark stays behind to work Randy tries to prepare for the worst Nuclear bombs drop on all major US cities (and major cities of US Allies) Randy and his neighbors try to survive the effects

Feelings Traits Thoughts Description Actions Goals

Chapter 1 *bottom of page 6 ("Randy watched Florence's...") to top of page 9 ("I believe in the Constitution of the United Stated - all of it.")

“Alas, Babylon was a private, a family signal” – pg. 14 “…their private synonym for disaster, real or comic, past or future” – pg. 15 “But in this telegram it had a very special and exact meaning.” – pg. 15 Chapter 1 *middle of page 12 ("Now the Bragg holdings..." to the top of page 15 ("Just one hour Alas, Babylon!")

$5,000 Take care of Helen, Benjamin Franklin (13), and Peyton (11)! *top of page 34 ("Four subs is a lot of subs...") to the bottom of page 37

 Randy arrives at McCoy Air Force Base. It’s almost totally deserted.  “Some buggy you got here. Won’t be worth a ‘darn’ to you” – pg. 30  Randy’s brother Mark says that there are 4 Soviet subs close to the U.S.. That’s a lot when there shouldn’t be any.  Mark gives Randy a $5000 check. “Cash it, today if you can…”  Brothers say goodbye and Randy is told to take care of Helen, Ben Franklin, and Peyton  “He knew he should not have spared time for tears and would not, ever again.” – pg. 37  Already Randy’s character is changing.

 Randy’s shopping trip!  Randy and Malachi’s conversation – artesian water well (sulphur water); can’t be contaminated by radiation or fallout!  “More important than anything he had listed was water, free of dangerous bacilli, unpolluted by poisons human, chemical, or radioactive. Pure water was essential to his civilization.” – pg. 51 *top of page 42 ("Randy walked into the bank's office...") to the bottom of page 43 ("Good afternoon, Fish-eye") *top of page 44 ("Randy's first stop was Ajax...") to near the bottom of page 45 ("They would be certain he was mad." *top of page 49 ("'Malachai,' Randy said, 'I want to ask you a serious question.'") to the middle of page 50 ("But that sulphur water ain't bad. You gets to like it.")

Henry Family (Randy’s Neighbors) Randy’s maid Randy’s childhood friend; works on Randy’s orchard now

 “Peewee may be a mouse aboard ship but he’s a tiger in a Tiger. If I sent him up with orders to shoot down the moon, he’d try.” – pg. 69  Sidewinder: heat seeking, short range, air to air missiles  Syrian train bombing (ACCIDENT!) Mark sends Helen and the kids away “This is an evacuation, isn’t it, Dad?”

“It might upset their timetable but I’m afraid they’re all upset. It might just give Kremlin an excuse” - Mark “As long as people keep talking, they’re not fighting. When Moscow quits talking, I’m afraid they’re acting.” - Mark “Under the law, the President “owned” the nuclear bombs and missile warheads. Before the SAC could use the warheads, the permission of the President- or his survivor in a line of succession-must be secured.”

“Object, may be missile, fired from Soviet base…Sensitivity radar now has four objects on its screens. Speed and trajectory indicates they are ballistic missiles” - Ace “Thanks for the 95 seconds” -General

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