It Canâ€™t Happen Here

Author: Sinclair Lewis

And here we have another Nobel Prize winning author of science fiction, though in this case Lewis flirted with genre in only one novel. But that novel is a classic. In the tradition of Jack London's The Iron Heel, this is the story of a populist politician who gets himself elected to the White House by proclaiming patriotism and traditional American values. Once in power, however, he quickly outlaws dissent, establishes concentration camps, and sets up an armed paramilitary force to impose his totalitarian regime. When his economic reforms fail to work, he becomes increasingly unpopular and is soon ousted, only to be replaced by weaker but no less dictatorial governments until a civil war finally breaks out. The story is seen through the eyes of a liberal journalist who opposes the regime. He produces an anti-government newspaper until he is betrayed and sent to a concentration camp, but he escapes to Canada, returns as a spy, and ends up helping to organise the resistance to the regime. Why it's on the list: Lewis's novel was based on the career of the populist Louisiana Governor, Huey Long, who was assassinated just before the book came out. But it is still surprisingly, and disturbingly, relevant today. A gripping account of what can happen when right wing populists are able to seize the reins of power.