Earth Abides

By: George R Stewart

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Connie Willis

Winner of the first International Fantasy Award. George R. Stewart (1895-1980) was a Professor of English at the University of California. He published a number of novels, including two studies of natural catastrophe, Storm and Fire. Earth Abides is his only work of science-fiction.

Published to great acclaim in 1949, Earth Abides is generally regarded as the classic tale of life struggling on after a global disaster. This audio edition celebrates the 60th anniversary of this science-fiction masterwork and includes a special introduction written and read by Hugo Award-winning writer Connie Willis.

A mysterious plague has destroyed the vast majority of the human race. Isherwood Williams returns from a wilderness field trip to discover that civilization has vanished during his absence. Eventually, in San Francisco, he encounters a female survivor who becomes his wife. Around them and their children a small community develops, but rebuilding civilization is beyond their resources, and gradually they return to a simpler way of life.

©1949 George R. Stewart (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"A profound, poetic, post-holocaust novel of immense stature: so special I wanted mine to be the only copy." (Garry Kilworth)

Amazing and wonderful book

I absolutely loved this book. Even though it was quite long every moment was worth listening to.
Stunning narration.

DDT fixes all.

Sometimes this book is a little dated and racist. Every time DDT was mentioned I laughed.

Slow and very drawn out in the end

Any additional comments?

Given the time at which this book is written (and it really needs to be considered when listening so as to understand it a little better), this is a very good story. The look into human nature in such a post apocolyptic event is very interesting. The story is very drawn out in the end, the last couple hours being more of an epilogue that doesnt really add much or finish off too many storylines