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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Revolt, American Style,
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This review is from: Not This August (Hardcover)
When I first read this shortly after its publication in 1955, it struck me as a very powerful statement of not only a very plausible (if pessimistic) view of the future, but encapsulated the essence of the American spirit. The book envisions a US shortly after it has been conquered by the Russians and Chinese.At the beginning, the occupation does not seem to be all that onerous to the major character, but he quickly becomes disabused of any idea that this is a form of government that he can live with, as travel restrictions, rationing, farm output quotas, censorship, work camps, summary executions and lack of recourse to unbiased courts quickly get ratcheted up. He almost accidentally gets recruited into a very shadowy resistance movement, and that group's and his own actions to attempt to overthrow the occupiers forms the main substance of the novel. As a depiction of just how a Russian (the Russia of 1955) occupation of the US would unfold, this book is still excellent, with some scenes that will bring home to the reader in an often horrific and no uncertain way of just how different the Communist government apparatus was from that of the US. However, unless you lived through those times, it will probably be difficult to connect with the depicted scenario. The actual actions taken to overthrow the new rulers may seem laughably inadequate and outdated, though it certainly will bring home the advantage of the `high' ground, i.e., the potential power of orbiting missiles, a threat that still could become a reality today. Apparently Kornbluth tried to update this book sometime around 1986, which I gather was not all that successful, but if you're reading the original edition, you must bear in mind the conditions and technology that were available at that time to fully appreciate this book. There's not a large amount of depth to the characters here; even the main protagonist is not drawn in great detail. But they certainly are drawn well enough to move the story along, as this is more a plot driven book than any kind of character study. The book's basic message, however, of the American will to be free, regardless of the cost, is still highly relevant and is well presented, and should cause the reader to do a little thinking about the America of today and how today's society would react to such a scenario, and the answers you come up with may be a bit depressing. ---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
5.0 out of 5 stars
A terrifying vision of America's defeat by the Soviet Union,
By Roger J. Buffington (Huntington Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Not This August (Hardcover)
The world war ends with complete American defeat. The nation is surrendered, and shortly thereafter the President and his military commanders are executed in New Washington DC by a mixed Soviet and Chinese firing squad. Americans are subject to "condign punishment" for their national responsibility for war crimes as the nation is occupied and subjugated. Most of America's youth are prisoners of war in Siberia or the Chinese desert. This is a pure nightmare from the bad old days of the Cold War; a terrifying vision of American defeat and its aftermath.The frightening thing about this novel is its gritty feeling of reality. If America had indeed been defeated by the Communist Bloc in the 1950s, this is what it would have been like. Although the geopolitics and science of this novel are now outdated, the novel nonetheless retains all of its punch and is an excellent and insightful read. A true classic. Highly recommended. RJB.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dated, pure Cold War propaganda but entertaining as hell,
By Carlos (El Centro) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Not This August (Hardcover)
Happily Kornbluth did not live to see that his nightmare scenario from the Cold War was inspired more by the Council on Foreign Relations empire-building "Democratic Facade" (see Daniel Hellinger and Dennis Judd Brooks) than Stalin's and Mao's purges, although these make it in the novel.That said _August_ was written in the early 50's at the height of the Cold War, and for its time was probably a paranoid, fast-paced action thriller. Without divulging too much of the story line, suffice it to say that the Swayze film, "Red Dawn" cribs the broad outline: the communist bloc countries, China and the USSR invade the US. A resistance is formed to drive them out. Our hero, Billy Justin, an accidental farmer, at first like everyone else adapts to the minimal changes in government until the production demands escalate. Isolated, rural life is portrayed in broad strokes as this novel is climax driven and as a result is fast-paced but characterization is kept to a minimum. Every player is assigned his role: the greedy merchant, the lovely mail-carrier, the collaborators, the crazy preacher, the post-traumatic syndrome vet, the insurrectionists. Without spoiling the story, let's say Justin accidentally holds the key that could turn the tide on the invasion. Will the insurrection succeed? Read the book. I give it 4 and a half stars because it entertained me. Not five because it is a bit dated and the result of obvious propaganda...
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