Rating: 
Summary: Earth Abides: The Metaphor of Dying Senses
Review: EARTH ABIDES by George R. Stewart is one of many books that take as its theme the destruction of mankind, leaving the Last Man on Earth as a narrator. THE PURPLE CLOUD by M.P. Sheil did much the same but Sheil's book was marred by excessive racism. Stewart's book is saved not only by the logical working out of the plot by its narrator-survivor, Isherwood, but also by Stewart's clever though subtle use of using Isherwood's slowly failing senses over many decades of post-apocalyptic adventures as a metaphor for the slow destruction of the American ideal of life.
As the novel opens, the reader is told that the United States has been hit by a super-plague that has spread with lightning rapidity with near one hundred percent fatality. Ish, one of the very few survivors, passes by a abandoned car on the San Francisco bridge. This car is registered to a James P Robson of Oregon. This seemingly innocuous narration is later seen as the central metaphor of the book. Years later, Ish has several opportunities to pass the car in and out of San Francisco. Each time he does so, the car becomes somehow less distinct, a fuzziness that resonates first in his mind, then in the reader's mind. As the decades pass, Ish meets isolated pockets of survivors who have forgotten their American heritage. To these barbaric Mad Max types, Ish is the Last of the Americans. They tease him, they pinch him, they see him as a failed god type who could not deliver on the promises of the fabled technology of their legends. By the novel's end, he sees them pinching him, but he cannot feel them doing so. His senses have failed him just as America's technology had earlier failed to protect its population from the plague. Just before his death, Ish remembers the car on the bridge. Was it red? blue? green? Owned by Robson? Robinson? Robertson? He does not remember. But he feels sure that America has died, its technology has long since died, but its people live on, possibly learning from the mistakes of their predecessors, or maybe not. Stewart concludes his otherwise depressing work with a hint of optimism: "Man may come and go, but earth abides."
Rating: 
Summary: A realistic masterpiece of the first order
Review: This timeless masterpiece recounts the most likely of the various apocalyptic ends to man's brief reign on Earth. Written from a naturalist's viewpoint, the novel recounts the fall of man following a sweeping measles-like pandemic. The author deftly informs us that the unknown disease is sirborne, that it hits only higher primates, and that the death toll is so all-encompassing that society simply vanishes. Mr Stewart also notes that the bulk of the few survivors are so devastated by the event that they become incapacitated. He also recounts nature's way of restoring an upset ecological balance and how the remaining animals cope with their new-found freedom.Ish Williams, the main character, himself goes through a period of psychological angst, but as with some persons in any crisis, recovers his equilibrium. He sees and meets others who cannot, but eventually meets an equally resolute woman. The book then briefly, but viably, notes how mores change when society disintegrates.
In a section entitled "Quick Years", the couple meet certain other adjusted persons who have adjusted to the "Great Disaster", as they call it, and a rudimentary "tribe", so-called, comes into being. A tight, fascinating study leaves the way clear for "The Year 22", the next chapter. It is interesting to note how the members retain traditional taboos, remember dates and holidays, and yet slowly return to a hunter-gatherer society. Organized learning is a natural casualty, to be replaced by superstition. Obviously, the ability to conjugate verbs becomes surplusage at such a time. The tribe learns to face disease, criminality, and tragedy. Religious tenets alter in each such society. One is left with the belief that man hasn't really learned very much by all of it. You learn that the most important thing to primitive man was the bow and arrow, and fire-making. Ish preserves these for future generations, along with a less credible democratic tradition. Even the language begins to change, as history marches on. I won't spoil it by giving the ending, but you won't forget it, any more than you will forget any of the details of this incredibly well thought out, impeccably written book. Even if, as with some reviewers, you cannot accept Stewart's approach or result, you will be forced to concede that, in addition to being a great storyteller, he is an incomparable, almost lyrical, wordsmith. I hated to see the book end.
Rating:
Summary: A realistic masterpiece of the first order
Review: This timeless masterpiece recounts the most likely of the various proposed apocalyptic ends to man's brief reign on Earth. Written from a naturalist's viewpoint, the novel recounts the fall of man following a sweeping measles-like pandemic. The author deftly informs us that the unknown disease is airborne, that it hits only higher primates, and that the toll is so all-encompassing that society simply vanishes. Mr Stewart also notes that the bulk of the few survivors are so devastated by the event that they become incapacitated. He also recounts nature's way of restoring an upset ecological balance and how the remaining animals cope with their new-found freedom. Ish Williams, the main character, himself goes through a period of psychological angst, but as with some persons in any crisis, recovers his equilibrium. He sees and meets others who cannot, but eventually meets an equally resolute woman. The book then briefly, but viably, notes how mores change when society disintegrates.
In a section entitled "Quick Years", the couple meet certain other adjusted persons who have adjusted to the "Great Disaster", as they call it, and a rudimentary "tribe", so-called, comes into being. A tight, fascinating study leaves the way clear for "The Year 22", the next chapter. It is interesting to note how the members retain traditional taboos, remember dates and holidays, and yet slowly return to a hunter-gatherer society. Organized learning is a natural casualty, to be replaced by superstition. Obviously, the ability to conjugate verbs becomes surplusage at such a time. The tribe learns to face disease, criminality, and tragedy. Religious tenets alter in each such society, one is left with the belief that man hasn't really learned very much by all of it. You learn that the most important thing to primitive man was the bow and arrow, and fire-making. Ish preserves these for future generations, along with a less credible democratic tradition. Even the language begins to change, as history marches on. I won't spoil you with giving the ending, but you won't forget it, any more than you will forget any of the other details of this incredibly well thought out, impeccably written, book. Even if, as with some reviewers, you cannot accept Stewart's approach or result, you will be forced to concede that, in addition to being a great storyteller, he is an incomparable, almost lyrical, wordsmith. I hated to see the book end.
Rating:
Summary: Dated But Thought Provoking
Review: I really enjoyed this novel from the apocalyptic genre very much. It was not a fantasy good versus evil type of story but rather a speculative look at how civilization might fare if there was a sudden die-off of 99% of the population. In this story there is a sudden plague of such devastating severity that nearly everyone is dead within a couple of weeks of its outset. This book does not focus on the plague or the sufferings of the infected and dying people. No grisly oozing bodies are found in these pages and very little trauma or grief. We enter the picture shortly after the dust has settled, so to speak. The story is not about the plague but about its aftermath. It is told from the perspective of one man who survives and traces his experiences as he goes in search of other survivors and finally settles back in his native California and makes the foundation of a new "tribe" of civilized human beings. This book was written in 1949 so it is doubly interesting because it not only gives us a look at the author's speculation about the factors that make up civilization and the interesting trials and successes that might arise, but it also gives us an amazing look at the huge changes that have taken place in our consciousness just in the short period of years since it was written. It has the unexpected bonus of actually confirming some of the points the story originally was designed to suggest. Even though the author seems as though he was an open-minded, perhaps even liberal thinker, the book contains ridiculous racial stereo-types, as well as skewed ideas about the personhood of mentally disabled people and also of women. Women are shown as being entirely domestic and dependent. Cigarette smoking is still very much a happy pastime in this brave new world and is enjoyed by men and their pregnant wives without a care in the world. When a plague of ants becomes a problem the main character, Ish, sprays himself and his pregnant wife down thoroughly with DDT, a substance that is used several times in the surviving world to overcome pests. I found these old-fashioned ideas very interesting when coming from a "reasonable" man that no one of his time would have considered to be prejudiced. The book is a thought-provoking page-tuner. I kept imagining that I would have done things in a much different way from the main character but I found the ideas and reasoning to be essentially sound and worth contemplating. This is an interesting look at how the Earth might rid herself of the virus called mankind and is certainly a good look at the power of her self-healing capabilities. I definitely recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow pace, nice lecture
Review: I could almost feel the age of this book when I read it. It is slow, the main character is an idiot (in my eyes), and he spends most of his time thinking about single-handedly saving (well, rebuilding) civilisation. Delusions of Grandeur. No critical thoughts about civilisation as realized in 1940/50 America, either: "Modern civilisation is good. We need to rebuild it at once. End of argument." I took two things from this book - first, sheep are the most stupid animals on this planet. And second, people may come and go, but Earth Abides. The Author managed very well to show me that, by having his protagonist realize a few pages before the end that he isn't the center of the world. Wow. Finally. I was waiting for this for about 200 pages. This could have been done with a much shorter and faster-paced book. Still, the book poses some interesting questions, and it's vastly better than what you get today when being shown post-apocalypse worlds (I'm thinking along the lines of the Mad Max movies, or Waterworld, etc - the book never sells out this cheaply). So, all in all, Earth Abides earns it's place on my SF bookshelf. A serious book that tries to seriously investigate the end of civilisation as we know it, and guide us into the new world that rises out of it.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, and dated
Review: I would have given this book fewer stars if I had been able to put it down. In spite of the stilted prose, odd inaccuracies, and generally bleak view of human nature, Earth Abides' end of the world scenario is completely gripping. There's none of the pseudo-mysticism of The Stand, just pure mid 20th century sci-fi goodness. Some of the scenarios Stewart presents aren't very subtle, and his views of women and blacks are what you might expect from 1949, but if you're at all interested in the "what happens after a mysterious virus wipes out most of humanity" scenario, Earth Abides is worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: Well thought-out and thought-provoking
Review: A virus wipes out 99.9% of the population, leaving the few stragglers left to figure out how to survive, organize (or not), etc. Don't be fooled into thinking that because this book was published in 1949 that it somehow won't be 'with it'. It's pretty well thought out, both in terms of what happens to the people AND everything else (dogs, cats, cattle, crops - things which other authors might leave out entirely), and in a departure (which I won't reveal here) from the usual 'we'll survive and things will eventually return to normalcy' plot so often present in this type of book.
Rating:
Summary: The very first SciFii novel I ever read!
Review: I 1960, I was nine years old, I remember staying up all night during summer vacation to finish it, I still love this book!
Rating: 
Summary: A thoroughly depressing sci-fi fantasy
Review: If you are easily depressed or get melancholy, do not read this book. If the thought of the human race dying out and mother earth thriving gives you the warm fuzzies, then this book is for you. After the major opening disease-kill tragedy there's *some* hope for man... then less hope for man... then a little more hope for man... then a *lot* less hope, and on, and on. It's an emotional roller coaster that, on average, only looses altitude. In the end, earth wins, man looses. I had 100 pages remaining to read and finally had to flip to the last page so. I. could. just. "end it". Yuk. Two weeks later I still have a bitter taste in my mind. If you like sci-fi's such as "ender's game" I predict you'll hate this book too. My hope here is that I've saved somebody else the pain.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic... At First.
Review: "Men come and go, but Earth abides." These chilling words written by George R. Stewart leave the reader feeling bare and stripped in the popular science fiction novel "Earth Abides." A novel I read and still can't decide what to think about it.
This book is filled with puzzling situations, frustrating moments, and mind-bending problems that make the reader ask, "What would I do?"
Plague has struck the world, and people are dying by the millions. A lone survivor, Ish, on a mountain camping trip manages to fend off the disease with snakebite. He returns to a frozen, empty world, and is determined to find civilization and life in the seemingly dead planet. Most of the people he meets are in shock, having seen the horrors of death and destruction of the planet and are stupefied, unable to talk sense or even take care of themselves. One man Ish comes across is drinking himself to death; only eating things out of cans and seems only half-alive. Through his journey's, Ish has a growing urge to settle down and establish life as he knew it again. He alone must save the human race.
I thought this book was very interesting, at first. The beginning was intriguing and exciting to think about. But after a while, the idea became old, and boring. Ish just begins to muse over the world's pathetic state, talk about how he's the only intelligent person left, and even starts to become a little snobbish to say the least. The way women were used merely as wombs, though logical in such a situation, got a little annoying also. The detail and wordiness left my mind to wonder away from the book, and I even recall something as simple as a storm drain overflowing taking up two pages to talk about. Ish's endless attempts to get people to think and work for themselves also become a bit momentous and bothersome. It really makes you want to slowly go crazy along with Ish, as you read his "bible", page after page of musing nonsense. I really wanted to tell him to start enjoying life and give up on trying to control everyone's thoughts and actions, just to let things go. But there were moments of truly beautiful writing and raw honesty that drew me out of the droning slump. When Ish finds something to believe in, though, it was really disappointing to have it destroyed so suddenly. Ish becomes so obsessed with saving the world, he becomes very self righteous and stuck up, he transforms from a hero into someone you are sick of and increasingly angry with. The author looses his grip on the story and turns the book into a guide of what to do if you find out the world's population has come to an end, and it's up to you, being the only truly sane and intelligent person, to save the planet. The character's personalities fade, and you are left with a bunch of names and occasional dialogue.
The novel begins with a bang, and ends with a whimper, which makes the reader want to whine as well. It was not something I'd want loved ones to read, but I would highly recommend the first two hundred pages, and then move on to something else. The people who say they truly enjoyed this book through and through, in my opinion, are liars. It's a thoughtfully written piece, and deserves the recognition it receives, but if you are looking to be entertained, find another book, "Earth Abides" will leave you out in the cold.
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