In this profound ecological fable, a mysterious plague has destroyed the vast majority of the human race. Isherwood Williams, one of the few survivors, returns from a wilderness field trip to discover that civilization has vanished during his absence. Eventually he returns to San Francisco and encounters a female survivor who becomes his wife. Around them and their children a small community develops, living like their pioneer ancestors, but rebuilding civilization is beyond their resources, and gradually they return to a simpler way of life.
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Generally regarded as the classic tale of life struggling on after a global disaster, Earth Abides (1949) was George R. Stewart's only venture into SF. Before the first page the human race has been almost completely wiped out by plague. Our hero Isherwood "Ish" Williams discovers a female survivor and fumblingly tries to bring up a new civilization in the ruins of California. It's an elegiac story of loss as humanity makes it through the crisis, at the cost of our race's painfully gathered knowledge--which seems irrelevant to the new generations as they develop a hunter-gatherer society reminiscent of the old Amerindian tribes, and see no practicality in the fabulous tales of the old days told them by Ish. His nickname is deliberately reminiscent of Ishi, the once famous Californian Indian who was also the last of his tribe and became a misfit in a new world, in his case early 20th-century America. Annoyingly for fans of survivalist SF who reckon civilization can be rebuilt in about a month with a Swiss army knife, Earth Abides proposes that the cycle of regrowth will take significant time ... but there is always time. Stewart's title and epigraph echo the Book of Ecclesiastes: "Men go and come, but Earth abides." One of the sadder, gentler Millennium SF Masterworks reissues. --David Langford
About the Author
SALES POINTS * #12 in the Millennium SF Masterworks series, a library of the finest science fiction ever written * The first winner of the International Fantasy Award * ¿A profound, poetic, post-holocaust novel of immense stature: so special I wanted mine to be the only copy¿ -- Garry Kilworth
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 50 people found the following review helpful
By Steve Paul
Format:Paperback
I first read Earth Abides as a teenager and was greatly impressed with it then. I have now just read it again at the age of 53 after finding it through Amazon. This is clearly one of the greatest's texts I have read and I don't say that lightly. I was deeply moved as I re-read the chronicling of the passing of an era and the great deep wisdom of Ish, the main character. Even more poignant in these difficult days. It has given me great pleasure to to record these words of appreciation. I wonder why it has never been made into a film, but am also pleased as the dignity of the message of this book remains untarnished. If you want to read a profound story on the fragile nature of our civilisation and the great strength of human beings read this.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I have always enjoyed post-apocalypse stories and approached 'Earth Abides' as another of those, if a somewhat more subtle one. But it is not another one of those. Stewart had an uncanny perception of the natural world and this permeates every page. He describes a seductive, idyllic existence where humans and nature are inseparable. One criticism is that of the 'cosy catastrophe'. The first sixty pages or so are slow, but stick with it because it contains the most moving and heartbreaking death scene in literature ever. It is difficult to believe that it was written a half-century ago, so little has it dated.
This is a quiet book and attracts little attention to itself even within sf. It has yet to receive the wider praise I am sure it will one day attain. If one book ever deserved to escape the constraints of genre fiction and find favour amongst the mainstream this is it. If everyone in the world read it, it is hard to see how the world would not be a better place.
There are downsides though. 'Earth Abides' may well become the bench mark by which every book you read after it will be compared to and your friends will probably get fed up of you talking about it.
Only shut up when they've read it too.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book must be one of the most memorable SF books I have ever read. Well written and thought provoking. Virtually no science involved, just a cracking story with well drawn characters. Like the best SF, it is well written fiction as well as being highly imaginative.
It will stay in your imagination forever.
It will stay in your imagination forever.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
highly reccomended
I have bought countless books from Amazon but this is the first book that I have felt moved to leave a review for.
This is a book that reaches far beyond the SF genre. Read more
This is a book that reaches far beyond the SF genre. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Tom
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sperb book - Great Reading
I have always loved this book but it is not generally avaiable in audiobook format from any of the major download sites. The book is a real classic and very atmospheric. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Peter Crockford
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best books I ever read.
A fantastic tale of survival in an apocalyptic world, an uplifting tale of people coming together and adapting to a changed world, and as the title says - Earth Abides.
Published 4 months ago by SebJowett
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Friend for the End of the World
This might not be the first thing you would think of if you were thinking about books or films dealing with the end of the world. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Dr Steve Bell
3.0 out of 5 stars
Worth Finishing
Finished reading this today. Having gained an interest in Sci-Fi over the last couple of years, I have read a few of these SF Masterworks. Read more
Published 5 months ago by IanR
5.0 out of 5 stars
My all time favourite!
Over the years I have read this book at least four times but It wasn't until about the third reading that I realized that it was written in 1947. Read more
Published 5 months ago by catfreak
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic!
I read the book as part of a research project into the possible effects of a apocalyptic event on society. George R. Read more
Published 5 months ago by James Connolly
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
'A story that spans decades. An insight into man's will to survive in the face of total disaster.
excellent plot twists. Buy it.
excellent plot twists. Buy it.
Published 8 months ago by hihosilver666
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best post-apocalyptic fiction ever
Quite simply the best post-apocalyptic fiction, ever. Some say 'A Canticle for Leibowitz' is better, but in my opinion they are wrong. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ian Marriott
1.0 out of 5 stars
nothing happens
Nothing happens in this book. It goes like this. Civilisation finished. A man finds himself alone in the world, Travels about a bit. Finds some other people. Has some kids. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Captain Kirk
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