SOLVED. YA Sci-Fi book from 1950s/1960s, which takes place after a nuclear war. Teen boy and friends find forgotten technology. [s]

[Drake]

YA/juvenile sci-fi book from 1950s/1960s, which takes place after a nuclear war. Teen boy and friends find forgotten technology, such as a wind-up flashlight, in a bunker in the ruins of an ancient city. Elders from his village discourage him from pursuing more of this knowledge.

[Rainbowheart]

The Weathermonger?

The Prince in Waiting?

[Drake]

Rainbowheart wrote: "The Weathermonger?

The Prince in Waiting?"

I don't think it's either of these but I appreciate the guesses.

I vaguely remember that the cover had an art style like those of the old Hardy Boys books (with the blue backs) and featured the boy activating a wind-up flashlight and a nearby adult looking shocked.

[Rainbowheart]

What year did you read it, approximately?

Was the boy an older teenager or more on the younger side?

[Drake]

I read it in either the late 1970s or early to mid 1980s. I feel like the book was old and obscure even then. It may have even published in the 1940s, but probably the 1950s. I feel like the boy and his friend were around 16. They came to the city to trade with its residents, who had forgotten about the bunker and its technology. Some type of battle takes place at the end, with the boy defending the bunker by using gunpowder or some other type of explosive, which was learned from books in the bunker.

[beichst]

This sounds like the 1952 novel Vault of the Ages by Poul Anderson.

All the points (including the wind up flashlight) match to the book.

The cover you might be thinking of is:

http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/5...

[Drake]

I think that's it. Thank you for tracking it down.

How did you figure it out?

[beichst]

YW. Glad I was able to help.

As to how I knew? I read it back around 45 years ago or so when I was working my way through the Winston Science Fiction set. :-) I have fond memories of the stories as they were some of the first YA science fiction I ever read.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston...

[Drake]

Brad wrote: "YW. Glad I was able to help.

As to how I knew? I read it back around 45 years ago or so when I was working my way through the Winston Science Fiction set. :-) I have fond memories of the stories ..."

Ah. Well, thanks again.