| "If I Forget Thee, O Earth" | |
|---|---|
| Short story by Arthur C. Clarke | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Publication | |
| Published in | Future SF |
| Publisher | Columbia Publications |
| Publication date | September 1951 |
"If I Forget Thee, O Earth" is a post-apocalyptic fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke and first published in 1951 in the magazine Future SF It was subsequently published as part of a short story collection in Expedition to Earth (1953). The title is taken from Psalm 137:5—"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem"—which consists of the writer lamenting over the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army. The themes in the story exploit the anxieties prevalent at the time regarding nuclear warfare.
The work was well received. Christian Science Monitor reviewer Peter J. Henniker-Heaton wrote: "I do not know of any short story that has moved me more than Arthur C. Clarke's 'If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth'."[1]