The World Without Us by Alan Weisman

The World Without Us

by Alan Weisman

'On the day after humans disappear, nature takes over and immediately begins cleaning house - or houses, that is. Cleans them right off the face of the earth. They all go.' Alan Weisman looks to the future to discover what the world might be like, and how it would change, if humans disappeared right now, for good. In the current age of anxiety over our impact on the earth's climate and environment, this timely book offers an intriguing glimpse of what the real legacy of our time on the planet may be. How would the natural world respond if it were suddenly relieved of the burden of humanity? Would the climate return to where it was before we fired up our engines? Could nature ever obliterate all traces of human civilization? How would it undo our largest buildings and public works, and could it reduce our myriad plastics and synthetics to benign, basic elements? And what about architecture and art? What will be our most enduring legacy?
This groundbreaking book examines areas of the world that have been abandoned or never occupied by humans to see how they have fared without us and looks beyond to discover whether, and for how long, our largest cities, biggest achievements and most devastating mistakes will last after we are gone. In doing so it wrestles with some of the key concerns of our time and reveals a picture of the future that is both illuminating and terrifying.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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Book Summary:

What would happen to the world if humans suddenly disappeared? This is hardly a new question, but Alan Weisman has set out to answer this question once and for all. In writing this novel, Weisman approached experts from all sorts of fields to create an evocative picture of what would actually happen should there no longer be people on Earth.

Have you ever wondered what would happen to the plants, buildings, or animals if we all went away? Imagine how long the structures would last before nature took over. And then dive into this book to see how it would all play out.

My Review:

Okay, I know I'm a bit behind on reading The World Without Us, but I'm so happy I did. This book came out in 2007, but recent events have helped prove at least a few of Alan Wesiman's points. The rise in popularity for it probably supports that theory, huh?

The World Without Us is an absolutely fascinating read. I'm not going to say that it's a light read – some of this book's implications are pretty heavy. But it is fascinating nonetheless. If you're the type of person who likes food for thought books, you must try this one.

If you're anything like me, parts of this book will motivate you to make (more of) a change in the world. You may feel inclined to try harder to recycle or step up and do more environmentally friendly work. Likewise, other parts of this book may make you feel discouraged. These feelings often go hand-in-hand, especially when reading works like this.

Overall, I'm choosing to look at the positive messages within The World Without Us. I love how approachable Weisman tried to make such a complex (often controversial) subject. No, more than that – I respect it.

Highlights:
Logical Thought Processes
Makes You Think
Post Apocalyptic Fiction

Trigger Warnings:
Dystopian (sort of) Elements
Animal Death

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 7 April, 2023: Finished reading
  • 7 April, 2023: Reviewed