The World Ends In Hickory Hollow — Ardath Mayhar

When the bombs fell and Western civilization ended, the residents of Hickory Hollow, Texas, scarcely noticed the difference. They were already used to fending for themselves--growing their own food, helping their neighbors survive, keeping their rural life going, much as before. But when the Ungers--a band of renegade thieves, murderers, and ne'er-do-wells--began raiding the nearby plots, looting and killing everyone in sight, it was time to take action! I was reminded constantly of George R. Stewart's classic post-holocaust novel, Earth Abides. The gentle rhythms of country existence, the sense that the world will continue (with or without us), the joy of living close to the earth, the nature of community itself, all combine for a poignant tale celebrating the best of what it means to be human. In Mayhar's perceptive eyes, the World Begins in Hickory Hollow. --Robert Reginald.