A classic work of post-apocalyptic fiction, and a haunting look at the capacity of humankind for self-destruction.
On the Beach is set in the wake of World War III; the world has been rendered almost completely uninhabitable due to Nuclear Fallout, with the only livable areas, located in the southern part of the planet, on a short clock as air currents threaten to eventually spread the fallout over the entire planet. When Australia receives a Morse code message from the Seattle area, they dispatch one of the last nuclear submarines in hopes of finding survivors.