MovieChat Forums > Survivors (1975) Discussion > Earth Abides

Earth Abides

posted 14 years ago by serendigity
8 replies | jump to latest

In the 1949 an American academic called George R Stewart wrote a novel called 'Earth Abides'. A very similar story line and a very well written book, covering an entire lifetime after the collapse of global civilisation by a mystery human induced virus. Well worth a read, if a little dated. The writer thought through and evocatively described so many things such as food tin labels fading so you do not know what will be inside, bullets not working 40 years after sitting on a shelf, slowly retrograding to bronze age hunting weaponry, tenth generation wild dog packs to contend with etc. More profound issues such as the need to procreate by those who are left, no room for love, those born after the calamity not being interested in books or what came before, thus dooming all of human history and all past knowledge to oblivion...

Thought provoking stuff. Would love to see a series set 100 years after such a calamity and the new humans living with this decayed strange and alien legacy of human civilisation as the backdrop. Most the stuff I have seen focuses on the actual end of civilisation, not the aftermath (except for Mad Max and its derivatives perhaps).

Surprisingly, Earth Abides has never been made into a film or cited as the source/inspiration for one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Abides

[–] misschicken 14 years ago

Earth Abides is one of my favourite novels. I have read it at least four times.

[–] swaroberts 14 years ago

I first read Earth Abides in the 70's and absolutely loved it. I re-read it in 2008 and it still packs a punch, fantastially well thought out and very moving. Someone should definitely turn it into a TV Series (or mini-series).

[–] micheljette 14 years ago

I have just finished reading Earth Abides for the fourth or fifth time. I still enjoy it just as much as the first time.

I agree with all the posters that this book would make a great movie or mini-series.

Where do I sign the petition? )-;

Michel

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] greg-233 14 years ago

I bought my copy of Earth Abides when it was reprinted in 1999. I've reread it a few times since then and have recommended it to others.

I believe Earth Abides owes a little something to Jack London's 1912 novella The Scarlet Plague. There are a few similarities:

http://litmed.med.nyu.edu/Annotation?action=view&annid=298

[–] Mousuke 13 years ago

Thought provoking stuff. Would love to see a series set 100 years after such a calamity and the new humans living with this decayed strange and alien legacy of human civilisation as the backdrop. Most the stuff I have seen focuses on the actual end of civilisation, not the aftermath (except for Mad Max and its derivatives perhaps).

You may like the novel Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban, which is set 2,000 years after a civilisation destroying event where language has changed and people are living very primitive lives, but still aware of the previous world through their garbled folk tales.

Lovers in League Against Satan

[–] alanadill 12 years ago

I second the recommendation for Riddley Walker. Part Earth Abides and the linguistic richness of Clockwork Orange. I just recently read it...excellent book!

[–] paulbeardsley 8 years ago

Thank you for reminding me of this excellent book. I discovered it when I was about 15, a year or so after Survivors had finished, and found it a better read than the two Survivors spinoff novels.

A Wikipedia check reveals that although it was never filmed it was adapted for radio, and it inspired Stephen King's The Stand. I've also downloaded Jack London's earlier take on the idea, The Scarlet Plague.

That's the clock done, now for the chairs.