The World Without Us
by Alan Weisman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alan WeismanEdition: Paperback
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2008-08-05
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Picador
Book Reviews of The World Without Us
Book Review: A Terrific Read
Summary: 5 Stars
What if the world changed overnight and humanity suddenly disappeared? How long will it take for nature to reclaim our cities, and what footprints of our culture would remain?
Manhattan would quickly crumble. Within days of our disappearance the water pumps in the subway system would fail, and the foundations of skyscrapers would be washed away. Asphalt would give way to the expansion of water during the following spring thaw, opening cracks for pioneer plants that would then give room to shrubs and trees. The massively overbuilt bridges leading into the city would remain longer becoming a migration route for animals of all varieties, including deer and coyotes.
Meanwhile, some monuments could last for thousands of years including the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore. The remnants of our culture would bear similarity to those of other lost civilizations. Music and language would cease to exist. Paintings would mold or be washed away. Brass and stone sculptures would remain for thousands of years along with car tires and nuclear radiation.
Weisman takes an investigative approach, and explores locales where humans have disappeared. In essence, he looks for places where this particular future has already happened, including the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, and the abandoned resort town of Varosha in Greek Cypress. For a view of the long-term future of Europe, Weisman takes us to the primeval forest of Bialowieza Puszcaza a private game reserve in Poland and home to five-hundred year old oaks, nine species of woodpecker, and otherwise extinct European bison.
It is a strangely hopeful book and an affirmation of the powers of nature to adapt and recover.
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