"(a) tremendous work of popular (and I mean that in the best way)
science ... an engrossing story that, whilst the stuff of fantasy, has
roots in the environmental damage inflicted on the planet today."

'The results of this huge thought-experiment are both fascinating
and surprising'

`A powerful vision of a possible future for the earth'

'Compelling... jammed packed with fascinating 'what ifs''

'flesh-creepingly good fun... an expert-led fantasia of the post-human planet... shamefully enjoyable'

'A wonderful idea... The World Without Us is a hugely enjoyable and thought-provoking book... Terrific'

`a good read... a groundbreaking thought experiment, The World Without Us is meticulously researched... fascinating'

A fascinating ? and terrifying ? glimpse of what the world would be like if humans disappeared today

'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.

"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."

How would the world change if human beings vanished from the earth right now, for good? What would the planet be like in a day, a week, a month? a millennium? In the current age of anxiety about our impact on the earth?s climate and environment, this groundbreaking book offers an intriguing glimpse of what the real legacy of our time on the planet may be.

The World Without Us takes readers on a journey into the future, to a world without humans and asks how the natural world would respond if we all simply disappeared. Would the planet?s climate ever recover from the effects of human activity? How would nature destroy our huge cities? Could it ever reduce our myriad plastics and toxic synthetics back to benign, basic elements? And what about architecture and art? Will we have left any enduring mark on the universe; any sign that we were once here?

To discover the answers, Alan Weisman looks to areas of the world that are currently unoccupied to see how they have fared without us. He reveals how animals would react to our disappearance and how the planet?s flora would be affected, and uncovers just how long our greatest achievements and our biggest mistakes would last after we are gone. In doing so he wrestles with some of the key concerns of our time and reveals a picture of the future that is both captivating and terrifying.

2008-04-20 Disappointing

I picked up this book by accident and I galloped through the first 50 or so pages - about the fabric of the buildings collapsing. I ran out of steam after this though, partly because I was hoping that we would get beyond the superficial. We did, but not in quite the same detail. I would have liked more thought and debate about the species mix we have created. We've moved plants and creatures around the planet, some unwittingly, others not. This is glossed over. There are of course sections on farming, cats and so on, but isn't one of the biggest problems facing conservationists that of trying to maintain pockets of native species? The caged-off areas in Australia, etc. Quite disappointing that the possible future of the species was overlooked.

Also a bit American, understandable I suppose as the author is American!