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Title: Earth Abides
ISBN: 0345487133
Author:
George R. Stewart
Publicate Date: 2006-03-28
Publish: 2006-03-28
List Price: $14.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $8.88
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $9.22
Amazon Merchant Price: $10.17
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Simple, quiet book but you'll never forget it
I did a comparison of this book with Childhood's End for A-level English. Two more different sci-fi books would be difficult to come by and that was the point. Earth Abides is a quiet story, full of the thoughts of Ish and the story of the community he helps found after a plague wipes out most of humanity. There is no scientific details as none of the characters have the expertise to know them. It a human story - not a science one. Some details are given of how the impact of humanity is gradually wiped from the planet and how the survivors - well survive.
Don't expect explosive action or tales of daring-do. What you will get is an insightful book - even after all this time - what you will want to read a second and third time. Definitely one to keep - close!!
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2: Thought Provoking and Relevant
This was by far the best book I've read in a long time, in terms of pure quality. Coming off a run of John Grisham books before it (and after, I'm reading another Grisham story now), it was amazing how different the quality of the story was, and how much more thought-provoking. Grisham tries for some philosophical stuff in his books, but didn't come close to what you find here.
The story itself was Ok...not fascinating alone, though surprising. A few things I certainly didn't expect to happen transpired. But what made it worthwhile was the "what if" factor. Imagine living through the apocalypse. Ponder the questions it raises:
- What would I do? Seek other people? Focus on survival? How to judge others, and how easily to settle in with them?
- How strong are the author's, and lead character's biases in the story? We get their perspective so strongly it's not clear sometimes what the reality is?
- What about Charlie? There's no way I'd make the same vote as the characters in the book - so I think. But if I had lived as they had for 22 years, would that change my opinion? How can I know? (answer to that last question - I can't).
Is there some deeper answer in the book about what the meaning of life really is? If we strip everything we have today away, we go back to a more primal state where the search for food, water, shelter and safety are paramount in our minds. So how much of what we experience now is a product of civilization and society, rather than our true nature? The memorable line which was something like (I don't have the book for a direct quote) "I'm happy. Things are as they are and I'm a part of them." says a lot doesn't it? Goes back to Buddhist philosophy really - focus on the present. When there's no guarantee of the next meal, when there's no shelter because a fire can burn it all down, when wild animals lurk, how much time do we have to ponder, to worry, to debate? And does that make us happier - meeting our primal drive to just...be?
I'd highly recommend this book, my "top" recommendation whatever that means. It covers ecology, philosophy, sociaology and so much more...
I waited almost two years to read it. It's a shame I waited that long.
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3: A stupid endeavor
It's all been said in these reviews. Everything about this novel sucks. It's the worst piece of drivel I've ever tried to force myself through, and I didn't make it. I quit, and honestly I never do that. Ish is maybe the most detestable figure I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. He's a passive aggressive psycho, a terrible father and leader, and the last man you would want to rebuild civilization. In this type of scenario, anyone with any intelligence that came into contact with him would disengage quickly. I simply might have shot him for being a drain of precious resources. That's how bad Ish sucks.
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4: Disappointed
I was looking for a good "end of the world" type novel, and after the amazing reviews, chose this one. Disappointed hardly describes it. This is one that as a quick reader (usually finishing a novel in less than two days) it took me over a week of forcing myself to keep picking this back up. This was so anti-climatic it was boring.
The most interesting thing about the story wasn't even told! One day, Ish wakes up to the aftermath of a world stripped of most humanity. Personally, I would have liked to read about the actual acts of the end of days, not the leftover start over.
So Ish decides to drive all over the U.S. just observing, meeting some people along the way. Again, pretty dull. It is described well, and the writer is a good writer, but he doesn't seem to have anything to tell. He could have had more conflict, more interesting character, but it lacked this. In fact, until the end of the book, I didn't even know how old Ish was in the beginning. For a book that focuses on this main character, and pretty much the first quarter of the book is all about Ish, there is very little backstory and knowledge of him. Unacceptable.
Instead the focus is on everything going on, well not going on, around Ish. The lack of people. The mess. The fires and fallen trees. Where has electricity and where doesn't. The looting.
The most interesting thing he actually wrote about was the rise and fall of other species. I would have LOVED to read more about THAT! However, his telling of the ants, which was brilliant, was summed up in a few paragraphs while he took ages to tell the most boring parts.
It also was unbelievable to me. Granted, this was written in the forties. But I hardly think for as long as time passed, even in simpler times, that people would live as they did without making more adjustments until they absolutley had to. I suppose some people might be that way, and I guess we'll never know until it happens.
Honestly, I would have been more interested in reading about the other survivors than Ish, who was a procrastinator and thought very little of those closest to him.
I would not recommend this book. Yes, it does stick with you. But not in a good way.
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5: fascinating and memorable read
I read this book 35 years ago while in junior high. It captivated me. I pondered (as only an adolescent can) what I would do if I were Ish. What would I do if I came home from a trip into the mountains and found the world dead of a plague. How would I respond? What would I do? How would I survive? How would I cope?
I read it again when I was in high school and the same musing returned. I found it in my box of "things" several years later when I was 23, after I was married. I sat down that afternoon and read the entire book. Again it affected me - but in a different, more mature way. After I had children, I gave it to my daughter to read when she was 16. She found it to be a very fascinating read on the sociological impact on man of a devastating plague which leaves only a few scattered survivors. I have lent my copy to several people over the years and everyone who reads it finds the book to create emotion and ponder what they would do in such a situation.
The mystery and appeal of the book lies in the writer placing the reader into the conscience of the main character named Isherwood "Ish" Williams. There are several undertones within the book - one of which is the role of the reluctant leader, the second the "sacramental" image of the hammer. It also shows the tendancy of man to desire religion.
This book review, I hope, motivates someone to read a book that they may not have read by simply looking at the cover. You will be mesmerized by this well written classic... I guarantee! (I have been mesmerized by it 5 times now in the past 35 years)
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