Dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction

This subgenre of sci-fi (or set of key words to describe a plot) waxes and wanes and generally reflects the pessimism in society. Often a reaction to a real or perceived threat, books described by one or both these key words have attracted readers. I’d read all the classics before I entered high school. Maybe this is unusual for a lad who was supposed to be more curious about those strange creatures called girls, but it was the Cold War. Reading pessimistic books about my possible future seem...