I’ll recommend A Canticle for Liebowitz
Civilization collapses, and an order of monks springs up dedicated to preserving one mans grocery list.
I’ve started reading Lucifer’s Hammer. I initially thought I would go for some basic nuclear aftermath, but the asteroid scenario sounded pretty interesting. I’m not too far into it yet but I think it was a good choice, and I appreciate the suggestion. I was disappointed to discover Canticle for Liebowitz isn’t available in e-format as it has received several suggestions. Many other books mentioned in this thread are now in my wish list. Thanks again to everybody. You’ve really broadened by horizons!
It’s like 350 pages. Are you kidding?
Seriously? Do people even read a thread before replying? It was the in the post JUST BEFORE YOURS!!! In fact, it was in BOTH of the posts just before yours!!
(although, I’ll give credit for good post/username combo)
Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank, is from 1959, a bit dated, but still a great book.
Because I forgot about this one until the second book showed up on my Kindle today, the Apocalypse Triptych - a trilogy of books, each with short stories about the apocalypse. It’s got stories from authors I’d read before, like Seanan Maguire and Hugh Howey, as well as authors who were completely new to me.
The End is Nigh - these are set just before whatever the events might be. I first picked this up as a free book of the month on my Kindle and the stories stuck with me so much that I bought it. Not all the stories are great, but enough of them drew me in that I pre-ordered book 2.
The End is now. The apocalypse has begun. I’ve only read the first 2-3 short stories in this so far, but am definitely enjoying it.
The third book is The End has Come, is scheduled for March, 2015.
You might like a new trilogy called The Last Policeman, by Ben H. Winters. It’s about a rookie cop in New Hampshire who is still trying to solve murder mysteries even though an asteroid will soon strike the earth and destroy life as we know it. The first book begins six months before impact.
Other newish books I’d recommend:
Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-century America, by Robert Charles Wilson.
Sleepless, by Charlie Huston - society collapsing due to the spread of an illness that causes people to be unable to sleep.
I had a great talk with my father today. He is truly an unusually wonderful man, now in his late 80’s. He was drafted out of high school into WWII. Armistance was declared while he was way to the Philippines and his group was diverted to become part of the occupation forces in Japan. I enjoyed explaining the quality of The Straight Dope message boards to him. He was impressed and intrieged and I shared with him this thread I had started. Though his memory can be difficult he didn’t have any hesitation in recommending On The Beach. He read it “hot off the presses” as he put it, and even this late in his life it was obvious what a profound impact it had on him. This will definitely be my next book. I’m looking forward to reading it through his eyes and reflecting the time period in which it was written. He was both surprised and impressed that the title had appeared in this thread. Sincere thanks to all.
On the beach was one of many end of the world as we know it books from 1950s and 60s. You know back when school kids in the US practiced getting under their desks and kissing their ass goodbye.
The Last Ship
Alas Babylon
Are two others that have been mentioned already
Even RAH dabbled in this with Farnham’s Freehold and The Sixth Column.
Seconding A Canticle for Liebowitz and Lucifer’s Hammer. And I strongly recommend to you The Passage and The Twelve by Justin Cronin, which features the added bonus that the third of the trilogy is scheduled for release later this year.
You could try Souls in the Great Machine The first in a trilogy - The Amazon blurb isn’t the best description unfortunately.
Davy by Edgar Pangbourn. A forgotten classic of science fiction.
There is a really a great radio drama version available for download if you are interested.
https://archive.org/details/ACanticleForLiebowitz