Subject
Bombings -- Fiction Books
Best books
Joseph Conrad
The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale
"The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale" by Joseph Conrad is a novel first published in installments in 1905–1906 and in book form in 1907. Set in 1886 London, it follows Adolf Verloc, a secret agent and shop owner who lives with his wife Winnie and her intellectually disabled brother Stevie. When Verloc is pressured to bomb Greenwich Observatory to provoke public outrage against anarchists, the operation goes catastrophically wrong. The story explores themes of espionage, terrorism, exploitation, and the devastating consequences of deception within a family.
Joseph Conrad
Under Western Eyes
"Under Western Eyes" by Joseph Conrad is a novel published in 1911. Set in St. Petersburg and Geneva, it follows Razumov, a solitary Russian student whose carefully planned future unravels when a fellow student involves him in a political assassination. Forced to make an impossible choice between betrayal and survival, Razumov becomes entangled with revolutionaries and the victim's idealistic sister. Conrad's cynical exploration of revolutionary idealism, autocratic power, and moral isolation stands as his response to Dostoevsky and his own conflicted past.
Upton Sinclair
100%: the Story of a Patriot
“100%: The Story of a Patriot” by Upton Sinclair is a novel written in the early 20th century. The book follows the life of Peter Gudge, a down-and-out character whose life takes a dramatic turn after he inadvertently becomes entangled in a plot surrounding a bombing during a patriotic parade. Through Peter's struggles and dire circumstances, the narrative explores themes of social injustice, the impact of war on individuals, and the manipulation of the powerful over the powerless. At the start of the story, we are introduced to Peter Gudge, a hungry and disillusioned young man wandering through American City, reflecting on the accidents that shape life. His mundane troubles are swept away when he encounters an elderly woman who gives him a leaflet. Shortly after, during the city's Preparedness Day parade, a catastrophic explosion rocks the scene. Peter is flung into chaos, where he initially pretends to be injured to secure comfort and food. As events unfold, police detectives mistake him for a suspect in the bombing plot, leading to his brutal interrogation and threats of violence. The opening chapters set a gripping stage for Peter's transformation from a desperate man into an unwilling participant in a larger socio-political struggle, establishing both the tension and the significant social commentary woven throughout Sinclair's work.
Donald A. Wollheim
Nothing
"Nothing" by Martin Pearson is a science fiction short story published in the early 1940s. It explores themes of existence, reality, and the concept of matter versus nothingness, set against the backdrop of a bombed building where the main characters find themselves trapped. The narrative combines suspense and a philosophical exploration of the nature of reality through a dialogue between two characters in a dire situation. The story centers on a young man and an old professor who become trapped in a collapsed cellar after a bombing. As they wait for rescue, the professor proposes a radical idea grounded in physics: if they visualize themselves and the surrounding rubble as “nothing” or energy, they can pass through the rocks and escape. Following the professor's hypnotic guidance, the young man experiences a surreal journey into the nature of matter, ultimately manifesting outside, while the old man remains trapped. Despite the protagonist's attempts to save the professor after his own escape, the stark reality of the situation hits hard when the rescuers find the professor deceased after two days of digging. The story raises profound questions about existence and the limits of human understanding.
Upton Sinclair
Sadan prosentin patriootti
"Sadan prosentin patrioti" by Upton Sinclair is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Petteri Gudgen, a man whose life takes a dramatic turn due to a chance encounter that leads him into a tumultuous world of societal conflict, patriotism, and political intrigue against the backdrop of American city life. The novel explores themes of poverty, desperation, and the struggle for power. The opening of the book introduces Petteri Gudgen as he navigates the streets of American City, burdened by his poverty and recent hardships. A chance meeting with an older woman prompts him to take a pamphlet that he initially dismisses, unaware that it will lead him into a larger narrative of unrest and turmoil. As Petteri reflects on the randomness of life and his misfortunes, he soon finds himself caught in a chaotic scene involving a patriotic parade, which ultimately culminates in a devastating bombing incident. This moment sets the stage for his involvement in the ensuing investigation and conflict surrounding the events that unfold, thrusting him into the heart of political machinations he never anticipated.
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