George R. Stewart (1895–1980)

Brian Aldiss coined the term "cozy catastrophe" about John Wyndham's work. It being an end of the world event where the character doesn't suffer enough or there's not always impending doom right at the door. In Earth Abides, the main character, Ish, is bedridden throughout the entire apocalypse. Then we follow him when he is clear-headed. No zombies. No aliens. No evil government stooges.

Ish isn't a scientist or a doctor, or a superhuman soldier; he's just a slightly more intelligent person who understands the present and the importance the future holds. Along the way he picks up a few group of survivors. The dynamic of the group is something that is interesting as we see a small society form. Within this, Ish becomes a defacto leader and the idealist - but an idealist who has reality smack into him several times, especially when it concerns other people. While you do get a semblance of others actions and reasons, we are constantly following Ish and his internal dialogue. Society is gone and all that remains are the remains.

But now children come into the mix. Society is still in struggle within their group. Ish wants to build the children to take over and remember the times before and achieve order once again. But what does order and society look like when you only have less than a dozen people who existed in the "before times".

There are some amazing juxopositions in this book as well. Ish takes a wife, Emma, names that have origin towards "Adam" and "Eve". We see the story starts out with Ish (Adam) being bitten by a snake and then he's thrust out into a world of disorder but also the Earth continues. Within this, there is small discussions of religion as in Ish is not religious and views it as a distraction from the unity needed among the group and focus on survival tasks. Then to double back, mythology springs up on things that for Ish are common place but for the children who only know the world after the Great Disaster become totems and exalted titles.

There's no big shootouts in this book. There's no stopping the mad bomber or brigand. It is a calm book but the tension and drama are beautifully done. The dealing with an outside stranger to the group and the impact of actions taken is such a high point. But there are little movements that are big deals and then there are big deals where you think the story will focus on but it settles into a more somber and carefree tone. It's amazing.

I almost come to think of apocalypse stories truly bringing questions of the purpose of life and humanity front and center and this one has done it the most by not focusing on the disaster but on the life and humanity. This would be an amazing book for a group discussion or reading group. I was tempted not to finish it as I saw the end coming and didn't want it to end - a sure sign of a good book. A definite recommendendation. Don't let it sit on your shelf. But if you do, the Earth Abides. Final Grade - A+… (more)

My usernamesake!

Earth Abides is a gentle glide from the stagnation of civilisation to it's feeble, but comfortable, reignition.

I often found myself disagreeing with Ish, the narrator and protagonist, and wondering how I would react in a situation like this. It provoked some interesting thoughts and scenarios, and honestly immersed me in the world more deeply than if I had agreed with him at every turn.

I found that this novel could be put down at any time and returned to any time later without much loss of clarity, espescially during Part II: The Year 22. Some may see this as a negative, but I honestly found it to be a significant positive as I have a habit of putting books down and not picking them up again for months, only to have completely forgotten everything.

This is an intriguing, realistic, and frankly desirable look into a potential post-apocalypse humanity that is, to me at least, leagues above every piece of post-apocalyptic media that catastrophizes about humanity's 'evil nature' and the 'devolution' we might face in such a scenario.… (more)