This is one of the classics of post-apocalypse novels, published in 1952 and despite the truly horrible cover art, it is a great read. It has an unsympathetic main character, and that is also unusual for the time and also because it works. Unsympathetic in terms of ‘hardbitten’ and looking out for Number One first last and always. It’s an action narrative, and speeds along without a pause for internal dialogue or flashbacks. You never even find out where the guy is from.

Many of the old post-apocalypse novels are also fascinating because they describe contemporary life (from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s) in detail. Amazing how things have changed. None of them anticipate cell phones or the Internet. Exception being Jack Vance.