This is a hard book to contemplate, because to think that it could happen today is almost unthinkable, yet deep down you know it is definitely possible. This book explores how everything and everybody breaks down during such a crisis and at the same time comes together, sometimes coming together by being cohersed into doing so. All the emotions and particularly the fears that are touched upon in this book are so believable it is easy to see why this has remained a classic text to read. The ending was tragic in the extreme and honestly by the end I had thoroughly expected it to happen the way iy did, but expecting so took absolutely nothing away from its power. I would highly recommend this book.