“An extraordinary real picture of human beings numbed by catastrophe but still driven by the unconquerable determination of living creatures to keep on being alive.”—The New Yorker

The classic apocalyptic novel by Pat Frank, first published in 1959 at the height of the Cold War, and now available as a limited Olive Edition from Harper Perennial.

“Alas, Babylon . . .” With those fateful words, the world as we knew it ended. When the unthinkable nightmare of nuclear holocaust ravaged the United States, it was instant death for tens of millions of people; for survivors, it was a nightmare of hunger, sickness, and brutality. In an instant, a thousand years of civilization were stripped away.

But for one small Florida town, spared against all odds, the struggle was just beginning, as men and women of all ages and races found the courage to join together and push against the darkness.

Pat Frank’s classic disaster novel, first published in 1959 at the height of the Cold War, remains prescient in its vision and immediate in its horror.

The full set of books in the 2026 Olive Editions series include:

• Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
• Changing Planes by Ursula K. Le Guin
• Island by Aldous Huxley
• Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
• The Princess Bride by William Goldman
• The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
• Highfire by Eoin Colfer
• The World Wasn’t Ready for You by Justin Key

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF EXPECTATION

'Hope breathes fresh thinking into the dusty corners and overgrown hedges of the English country house dilemma' The Times

'Superb … Anna Hope engages, head-on, with some of the most urgent and challenging issues facing the world today, and transforms them into spellbinding family drama' Jonathan Coe

‘Beautiful . . . As provocative as it is tender’ Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace

The Brooke family are gathering in their eighteenth-century ancestral home – at the heart of a thousand acres of English countryside – to bury Philip: husband, father and the blinding sun around which they have all orbited for as long as they can remember.

They must grapple with their shared grief as well as their shared inheritance. Each of his children is adamant that their father has given them his blessing, and none are willing to back down, as dreams of rewilding the English countryside clash with a vision of a psychedelic haven for the super-rich.

But as they debate the future of the land, a stranger arrives bearing a truth that will fracture all the dreams on which they’ve built their lives.

‘The English country house novel reimagined for our times ... Exceptionally well-drawn’ Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground

‘A book that asks important questions about legacy – familial, historical and global – and which seeks to answer them with delicate insight and beautiful prose’ Elizabeth Day

‘Hauntingly beautiful . . . This is a novel I will return to again and again’ Louisa Adjoa Parker

‘Albion balances the reality of who the English were against the hope of who we might become’ Richard Beard, author of The Day That Went Missing

The HOTLY ANTICIPATED adult debut novel by the beloved, #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author of the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series

It starts with a class in an old movie theater.

Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.

With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.

BY THE ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF THE HANDMAID'S TALE

Sometimes I whisper it over to myself: Murderess. Murderess. It rustles, like a taffeta skirt along the floor. Grace Marks. Female fiend? Femme fatale? Or weak and unwilling victim? Around the true story of one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of the 1840s, Margaret Atwood has created an extraordinarily potent tale of sexuality, cruelty and mystery.

'Brilliant . . . Atwood's prose is searching. So intimate it seems to be written on the skin' HILARY MANTEL

'The outstanding novelist of our age' SUNDAY TIMES

'A sensuous, perplexing book, at once sinister and dignified, grubby and gorgeous, panoramic yet specific . . . I don't think I have ever been so thrilled' INDEPENDENT

Lewis Carroll's classic story of Alice and her incredible adventures in Wonderland is brought to life in this brand new silkbound edition.

Follow curious Alice as she ventures down a rabbit hole and into a magical world, filled with unforgettable characters such as the March Hare, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts.

Luxuriously presented with silk binding, gold cover embossing and classic, full-colour illustrations by John Tenniel's,, this beautiful book is guaranteed to enchant young readers of all ages.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Silkbound Classics series brings together deluxe gift editions of literary classics, presented with luxurious silk binding, striking embossed cover designs and full-colour illustrations.

This elegant hardback edition presents Lewis Carroll's best loved work, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with gilded page edges and original pen and ink illustrations by Sir John Tenniel.

First published in 1865, this perennially popular tale follows the tale of curious Alice and her fall through the rabbit hole into a fantasy world filled with anthropomorphic and peculiar creatures, including the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts. A lasting classic that plays with logic and the bizarre, this tale cannot fail to delight readers with its mix of prose and poetry.

This elegant pocket-sized gift edition contains the classic and unabridged text, presented with a silver embossed cover design, patterned endpapers, gilded page edges, ivory pages and original illustrations. Part of the Arcturus Ornate Classics series, this edition makes wonderful gift for adults and children alike.

ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus Ornate Classics are beautifully bound editions of iconic literary works across history. These compact, foil-embossed hardbacks are printed using deluxe ivory paper and make the perfect gift.

This lavish hardback edition with gold cover embossing and printed edges presents Lewis Carroll's classic story of Alice and her incredible adventures in Wonderland.

First published in 1865, this perennially popular tale follows the tale of curious Alice and her fall through the rabbit hole into a fantasy world filled with anthropomorphic and peculiar creatures, including the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts. A lasting classic that plays with logic and the bizarre, this tale cannot fail to delight readers with its mix of prose and poetry.

Illustrated with John Tenniel's iconic original drawings, this spectacular, large-format hardback edition is a wonderful celebration of this classic tale.

ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus Epic Classics brings together stunning large-format hardback editions of classic works, presented with striking illustrated page edges and classic illustrations throughout.