Non-Fiction
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Lattimore the Scholar | 1953 | Buy |
| The politics of revolution | 1971 | Buy |
| Democracy In A Revolutionary Era | 1972 | Buy |
| Beyond the Punitive Society | 1973 | Buy |
| The Structure of Human Reflexion | 1989 | Buy |
Standalone Novels
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Fail-Safe | 1999 | Buy |
Harvey Wheeler was a political scientist who spent most of his career in academia, but he became famous for a single novel. Fail-Safe, co-written with Eugene Burdick, told the story of an accidental nuclear strike triggered by a technical malfunction. Published during the height of Cold War anxiety, the book struck a nerve with the public and became a bestseller. Sidney Lumet directed the film adaptation in 1964, starring Henry Fonda.
Wheeler’s non-fiction work reflects his academic interests in political theory, democracy, and social structure. His books on politics and governance were aimed at a scholarly audience and addressed questions about democratic institutions and revolutionary change. While Fail-Safe remains his most widely recognized work, his non-fiction contributions shaped academic discussions about politics and society during the Cold War era.