#22 – Nuclear War – A Reader's History of Science Fiction
The Cold War brought with it new tales of nuclear war in science fiction, both in the early days of the 50s and 60s, and later, when fears began to rise again. In this episode, we look at the highlights of these stories and how they vary widely in how they address the consequences of nuclear war. Book recommendation: Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. The Office of Technology Assessment's 1979 nuclear war study. Other works mentioned: On the Beach by Nevil Shute (un-recommended) A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. Dr. Strangelove Fail Safe The Postman by David Brin The Day After WarGames
Jules Verne was perhaps the first author to systematically incorporate the latest science into his work, becoming one of the biggest minds behind the idea of science fiction. Yet his focus wasn’t so much on sci-fi as it was on adventure fiction. In this episode I explore how he contributed to the development of the genre.
Book recommendation: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas by Jules Verne.
