About this title: Weisman, an award-winning journalist, offers readers a penetrating--and sometimes terrifying--take on how the planet would respond without the relentless pressure of the human presence.
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Description: Very Good. 0312347294 Condition: VERY GOOD. (Book may have one or a combination of the following characteristics: former library book, cover wear, name written inside cover, light underlining/highlighting, remainder mark, etc. Overall, the book is in solid shape. This is a blanket description. Please email us if you require a specific, detailed description of the book condition. We will typically respond within one week of your request). read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Picador
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780312427900ISBN:0312427905
Description: Good. Used item may show library stamps, stickers and marks. Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Description: Fair. Purchasing this book supports the King County Library System Foundation. Thriftbooks and KCLSF have partnered to help raise additional funds for the library system. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Purchasing this book supports the King County Library System Foundation. Thriftbooks and KCLSF have partnered to help raise additional funds for the library system. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Very good. By Alan Weisman; ISBN: 0312427905; Pub. : Picador; Pub. Date: 2008-08-05; Media: Paperback; Weight: 11.2 oz.; Covers have a tiny bit of edgewear. Surfaces of covers are generally glossy. Cover has very light surface wear. Binding is very good. Pages have no marks, writing or highlighting. Pages show indication of light use. by Alan Weisman; ISBN: 0312427905; Pub. : Picador; Pub. Date: 2008-08-05; Media: Paperback; Weight: 11.2 oz.; Covers have a tiny bit of edgewear. Surfaces of ... read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Date Published: 2007-07-10
ISBN-13:9780312347291ISBN:0312347294
Description: New. Book is Brand New, Gift condition. Free tracking # included! International buyers are welcome. We ship every business day. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! read more
Description: Good. 2007-Paperback---Used-Good. Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
"This book ranks among my favorites of all time in the category of history and facts, because along with a thought-provoking premise, the author drenches the reader with information about all sorts of things we should all know about but mostly didn't have the opportunity to even come across. I would recommend it for any reader old enough to think about the world as his/her responsibility and home."
"This book was a disappointment. I had high hopes because first a close friend lent it to me, having just read it, with the recommendation that he thought I'd love it. Then, independently, my dad gave me a copy for my birthday. Despite this, its fatal flaw is that its boring. The whole premise is that if humans disappeared overnight, the earth would eventually revert to some natural state. But he goes through every part of that in excruciating detail. The interesting parts are more about what we've done than what would happen in this mysterious world where we all disappeared for no reason. The descriptions of our nuclear power plants and radioactive buildup, some of the stories of ancient civilizations and the traces they left behind, and the whole chapter about plastics were interesting. The rest of it, I had to start skimming. I understand that if we leave a building empty, animals will move in; if we fail to farm land, forest will regrow; and that if we don't maintain our cities, factories and machines, they will all be destroyed. I didn't need a whole book to tell me what part goes first."
"In The World Without Us, Alan Weisman attempts to answer the question of what would happen to the earth if, for whatever reason, humans were to completely disappear tomorrow. While it's a fascinating premise, one that Weisman undoubtedly put a lot of time and effort into, the execution falters. Inevitably, it's hard to stretch what was initially a short essay into a full book, but that's how The World Without Us got going. Structurally, the book is broken down into four parts with chapters discussing what would happen to the earth, both in the manmade and in what man has altered in nature, including cities, power plants, nukes, art, farmland, bacteria, animals and creatures of the ocean.
In reading this book it's clear that Weisman realized that, a) that it's strange to read a book without any people; and b) in order to predict the future, you must delve into the past. As a result of this, The World Without Us is more about history than the future. Weisman interviews a number of people from all walks of life/viewpoints and there's a fat bibliography at the end. He strives for accuracy in his predictions, even though it's based on what we currently know. It's like when you see a science fiction movie: all the future computers are still based on the technology we have available now. Though Weisman succeeds in not being preachy, the theories he presents are still debatable. There are a few areas I'd argue with him and since time has gone by since publication, recent history is contending to debate with his theories, too. In certain parts though, as with the section on Galveston, TX (hit with a massive hurricane in 1900, then again in 2008, a year after the book was published), Weisman's assertions remain true.
So what's the problem then? The World Without Us has a great premise, is well researched and historically accurate (depending on who you ask today), but it's not all that interesting. It seems like Alan Weisman realized it, too, as the hook chapters to each part are far more interesting than the remainder of each section (save the terse final part which is fairly solid throughout). You get drawn in by a few fascinating chapters, then you have to wade through the meandering text until the next hook spikes interest. I'd find my mind wandering, wishing it were more of dystopian fiction based on environmentalism. Maybe that means I should just stay away from nonfiction science books where inevitably, after enough time has gone by and enough new data has popped up, it'll be laughed off the shelf. Two stars. Barely."
"In "The World Without Us," Weisman looks not only at the world without us, but the world before us, the world with us, and the world in spite of us. Discussing our prehistoric rise from the primordial goo and the ways which we began even then to change our surroundings, this is an exceptionally well-rounded look at our history, our present, and our future with regards to humanity's effect on the planet. Some of the most interesting discussions are Weisman's looks at areas of the world which have, for one reason or another, been abruptly vacated by human activity. These areas provide a partial window into the natural processes that will begin to envelop our architecture and whatever else we leave behind. I admit that there were a couple of places where I felt a little lost and/or disinterested; one chapter discusses what will happen to all the world's petrochemical refineries. While this is an important area to look at, it still meant having to read about petrochemical refineries, which are inherently a little dry as subject matter. This is more than compensated for, however, in other fascinating chapters which look at evolution, wildlife, New York City, the DMZ in Korea, and Chernobyl. But overall this is definitely a worthwhile read. It cannot help but spark thought in anyone willing to absorb the information presented so clearly and honestly."
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