# The World in Winter > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_World_in_Winter > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_World_in_Winter.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_in_Winter > Source revision: 1333539366 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1962 novel by Samuel Youd Not to be confused with [Winter of the World](/source/Winter_of_the_World). The World in Winter First edition Author John Christopher Language English Genre Science fiction Publisher Eyre & Spottiswoode Publication date 1962 Publication place United Kingdom Pages 253 ***The World in Winter*** (US title ***The Long Winter***) is a 1962 [post-apocalyptic science fiction](/source/Apocalyptic_and_post-apocalyptic_fiction) [novel](/source/Novel) by British writer [John Christopher](/source/Samuel_Youd).[1] It deals with a new [ice age](/source/Ice_age) caused by a reduction in the output of the Sun. ## Plot summary The story involves a new ice age hitting Europe, British refugees fleeing to [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria), and what a later group find when they return. As the story opens, Andrew Leedon, a [London](/source/London)-based television documentary producer, is given a new story to research: an Italian scientist, Fratellini, has proposed an imminent fall in solar radiation for the forthcoming few years which may lead to harsher winters. Leedon meets with David Cartwell, a [Home Office](/source/Home_Office) civil servant and useful source, to see if he can find out more. Cartwell quickly becomes a close friend of Leedon, but also begins an affair with Leedon's wife, Carol. The winter of that year is, as predicted, long and harsh, but by January is it becoming clear to insiders that the solar downturn is worse than Fratellini had calculated and no upturn is in sight. By March, food stocks are becoming dangerously low, rationing has been imposed and the Government imposes martial law. Those in the know, including Andrew's estranged wife, sell up and move south to the tropics and countries such as Nigeria. Leedon stays behind, as inner London is finally cordoned off from the rest of the UK to protect the seat of power – an area called the London Pale – as the rest of the country is abandoned to starvation and barbarism. Finally Leedon is persuaded both by Carol and by David Cartwell to exit the country while safe passage is still possible. Taking with him Cartwell's wife Madeleine, he moves to [Lagos](/source/Lagos) in Nigeria, finding that the tables have now turned – white refugees fleeing from the ice-bound northern countries are living in slums, unemployed or with only menial jobs, and penniless, as African governments have withdrawn recognition of currencies such as Sterling and no longer recognize the British Government, with reason, as it no longer exercises sovereignty over its own land. A ray of hope arrives for Leedon as Abonitu, a young Nigerian whom Leedon had treated with kindness and generosity one evening in London, finds him and in turn helps him and Madeleine out of the slum. Abonitu plans a reconnaissance expedition back to Britain. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["John Christopher, 1922-2012 | Tor.com"](https://www.tor.com/2012/02/06/john-christopher-1922-2012/). *www.tor.com*. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2023. v t e Books by John Christopher The Tripods series The White Mountains (1967) The City of Gold and Lead (1967) The Pool of Fire (1968) When the Tripods Came (1988) Sword of the Spirits trilogy The Prince in Waiting (1970) Beyond the Burning Lands (1971) The Sword of the Spirits (1972) The Fireball trilogy Fireball (1981) New Found Land (1983) Dragon Dance (1986) Other books The Twenty-Second Century (1954) The Year of the Comet (1955) The Death of Grass (1956) The Caves of Night (1958) A Scent of White Poppies (1959) The Long Voyage (1960) The World in Winter (1962) Cloud on Silver (1964) The Possessors (1964) A Wrinkle in the Skin (1965) The Little People (1967) Pendulum (1968) The Lotus Caves (1969) The Guardians (1970) Dom and Va (1973) Wild Jack (1974) Empty World (1977) A Dusk of Demons (1993) Bad Dream (2003) Adaptations No Blade of Grass (1970) The Tripods (TV series) (1984–1985) This article about a 1960s post-apocalyptic novel is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. See guidelines for writing about novels. Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:1960s-post-apocalyptic-novel-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3A1960s-post-apocalyptic-novel-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:1960s-post-apocalyptic-novel-stub) This London-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:London-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3ALondon-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:London-stub) This Lagos–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Lagos-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3ALagos-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Lagos-stub) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The World in Winter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_in_Winter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_in_Winter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.