World Without Us

By Alan Weisman

Most books about the environment build on dire threats warning of the possible extinction of humanity. Alan Weisman avoids frightening off readers by disarmingly wiping out our species in the first few pages of this remarkable book. He then continues with an astounding depiction of how Earth will fare once we’re no longer around.

The World Without Us is a one-of-a-kind book that sweeps through time from the moment of humanity’s future extinction to millions of years into the future. Drawing on interviews with experts and on real examples of places in the world that have already been abandoned by humans—Chernobyl, the Korean DMZ and an ancient Polish forest—Weisman shows both the shocking impact we’ve had on our planet and how impermanent our footprint actually is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: May 25, 2010
• ISBN: 9781443400084

Alan Weisman

ALAN WEISMAN, author of An Echo in My Blood and Gaviotas, has written for The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine and many others. He has been a contributing editor to The Los Angeles Times Magazine. A former Fulbright Senior Scholar in Colombia, he has received many awards, including a Los Angeles Press Club Award for Best Feature Story and a Robert F. Kennedy citation for reporting on the disadvantaged. He teaches international journalism at the University of Arizona.

Reviews for World Without Us

[shelbycassie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found this book fascinating. The author looked into many different parts of human civilization to see what would be going on if humans disappeared. Cities, subways, ancient ruins, nuclear power plants, coral reefs, Panama Canal... The list goes on and on. By looking at what could happen, I learned a lot about what has already happened.

[bookhookgeek · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I got this book on CD from the library because I had watched the History Channel special based on this book and enjoyed it. I expected the book to be similar to the TV program--a look into what the world would be like if humans suddenly disappeared. The book does cover this, but mostly it discusses how humans are currently ruining the planet and that the world would be better off without us. That may be true, but it's depressing to listen to for 12 hours!

[melydia_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A study of all the myriad ways the earth would be affected if humans up and disappeared all at once. I have a bit of a fascination with urban decay, so learning about what would happen to our infrastructure without upkeep was really cool. Unfortunately, the author gave the distinct impression that the world would be better off without people, which was kind of tiresome. I'm all for reducing one's footprint, but it was strongly implied that humans are interlopers on our home planet. All that aside, the bits about history and technology were pretty cool. Just don't expect a tale of hope and human ingenuity.

[jasoncomely-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book answers the question: what would happen if all humans suddenly disappeared off the Earth? What will happen to dormant and forgotten nuclear warheads and all the plastic in the oceans? The answers are fascinating and often alarming.

This is a fantastic book and I love this genre, but this stuff can be heartbreaking to take in. Our species is seemingly at war with the very planet we depend on.

[kaitanya64 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Weisman uses as his starting point a hypothetical future in which humans vanish and the earth slowly reacts to our absence. However, his real purpose seems to be to provide a tour of some of our most ecologically endangering activities, the damage that even without us the earth will not be able to decompose, grow over or otherwise heal. Written in an engaging style with plenty of human interest through interviews and great description, this helped me see environmental issues in new ways.

[nicolecenteno-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Though I felt that it ended a bit abruptly, for the most part I really enjoyed this book. It took a realistic yet sympathetic approach to the sensitive and much ignored issue of teen suicide while telling a story that was truly compelling. This is definitely a book worth reading.

[bness2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very well done and full of information that everyone should know about. My only criticism is that it is organized oddly and as a result has a few spots of repetition. Otherwise excellent.

[devil_llama · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author envisions a world where humans no longer exist, and takes us on a tour of what exactly could be expected in the event that humans should cease to exist, through some means that doesn't leave dead, decaying bodies behind. A good discussion of ecological principles and the structure of the earth and its activities.

[bensdad00 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

reads well companioned by where the wild things were

[brianinseattle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cool book for anyone into anthropology, geology, philosophy, conservation or evolution.

[wishanem · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes I pick up a critically-acclaimed book and it grips me even though the subject isn't in my wheelhouse. This time I found myself bored to the point of putting it down, repeatedly, for 5 months. The first chapter in each section is alright, but the rest is a slog. I am officially giving up.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A good book for lovers of Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction, this is about how fast the world will cease to look as it does at present, if we are removed from the planet. Humbling in some regards, and impressive in others. We will leave evidence we have been here for several millennium, not always where we think we will. Stuff that it is good for us to know.

[alisonlea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite summer reading of 2007--of course, I was pretty depressed that summer, but still--what would happen if people just were zapped off the face of the earth? Wild cats living in trees integrated in the structure of crumbling skyscrapers and never touching the ground again, that's what! But only a small part of the actual book is dedicated to this fact, which I found unfortunate. :)

[sylviac_43 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I first read this three or four years ago, and it has stayed with me ever since. It looks at the changes humans have made to the world, and how long those changes would persist if we all vanished from the Earth. Our cities and most other man-made surface structures are surprisingly ephemeral, but our nuclear and chemical legacies will persist into geologic time.

[bibleblaster · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a fascinating and effective way to examine the effects of human activity on the environment. Well written; beautifully drawn speculation based on a wealth of research. Invites us in by removing us from the picture to face the hard facts...but allows us also, by exercising our imagination, to imagine the future of a world with us.

[alaskayo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm judging Weisman's work a little more harshly than most here because I feel it's too slim and simple on presenting its ideas. Everything from this book can be found in the readings for a single introductory college course on environmental ethics or resource management--all it adds is the context suggested by the book's gimmicky title.That's not to say simple can't be excellent, but with how World... presents its info, it feels like Weisman did the bare minimum amount of research--as if his only source was a single introductory class or textbook filtered through a writer's whimsy. E.g., he shies away from referencing original research, and instead frequently mentions news articles inaccurately referencing original research as his sources. E.g., he references a number of outdated terms or ideas, such as continental drift or, positively, "The cure for pollution is dilution." (Ouch....)World... is an alright book, but there are certainly better-written alternatives out there that cover all the same material and more. And, as a science journalist with as big an audience as he has, Weisman really shouldn't be skimping out on his homework. That said, it's really not too bad if you're in need of an introduction to these environmental topics.

[buffalogr · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As much a lesson in life and the human condition as it is sci-fi, this book was a very good predictor of the future. Written in 1933, it predicted many things that have come to pass. Alas, humanity has not gotten past that nasty aggressive war thing and life goes on.

[sben-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

My expectations were too high. I would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't already read both [book: Guns, Germs, and Steel] and [book: Collapse]; as it was, the book felt both too short and unfocused.

[aliceap-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Some books that you read make you question everything. Alan Weisman's The World Without Us is definitely one of those books. The book seeks to answer the question 'What would happen to the world if humans were to disappear?' I've read books that look at it from the flip side of the coin where humans have destroyed the planet to such a degree that humanity can no longer be sustained. It was interesting to look at the reverse. Weisman looked at the issue from a variety of viewpoints. He looked at the evolution of humans and their impact on the megafauna and megaflora of the planet. His point there was that although much of the animals and plants were eradicated by us, variations of these have survived into present day. Therefore, if humanity were to disappear nature would find a way to carry on and maybe another kind of humanity would take our place. He also looked at the damage we have done through chemical processes (I'm talking nuclear) and whether or not the planet's remaining inhabitants could survive. He went to a variety of places where it was as close to being primeval as possible (Kingman Reef) and also those places which were irrevocably changed by us (Chernobyl). He spoke to scientists of all disciplines (many of which sound like amazing careers that I need to look into immediately). It was a thoroughly researched and thought provoking read and I encourage anyone interested in conservancy and ecology to go and give this book a shot.

[ralphlagana · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book makes me wish I could give half-star ratings. The book is described as a hypothetical romp through time based on the single question, What would the world be like without us? If we simply disappeared, how would Earth react? Weisman certainly has the mind to play with this theoretical model and his book is the result of playing in his sandbox.

I enjoyed immensely his simplest description of the world without us. He opens with a description, quite detailed, of what happens to the average home after years of neglect; and, having been in construction and repair for years, I found his thinking to be spot on. Weisman lost me when he decided to pursue the development of humans in the heart of Africa. I understood the why of it, as it tied into the model, but it wasn't enjoyable. Loads of anthropology vocabulary. His work on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch was interesting. I ended up reading more on that topic as a result.

Bottom line: The book is clever and well thought out. But, it's depressing. Entropy is a reality, but I'm not sure I want to spend my time focused on it. Good book for a college classroom or even select excerpts in high school.

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A collection of chapters about what would happen to the life and non-life of planet Earth if we were gone. Fascinating tidbits, but Weisman doesn't sew them together. Definitely worth a read, though.

[tangotango-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sehr faszinierend beschrieben, und in gewisser Weise sehr tröstlich.

[bnielsen_30 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Starter med "Et abe-koan" og indeholder 19 kapitler: "En duft af edens have", "Vores hjem nedbrydes", "Den menneskeforladte by", "Verden lige før os", "Forsvundne arter", "Det afrikanske paradoks", "Forfald", "Holdbarhed", "Polymerer varer evigt", "Oliepølen", "En verden uden landbrug", "Nye og gamle vidunderes skæbne", "En verden uden krig", "Fugle i en verden uden mennesker", "En glohed arv", "Vores geologiske fingeraftryk", "Når mennesket går i graven", "Kunsten hinsides mennesket", "Havets vugge". Efterfulgt af "Coda" og "Vores Jord, vores sjæle".Præmissen er "Hvad hvis menneskene pludseligt forsvandt fra jordens overflade?".Emner: Bialowieza-puszca urskoven mellem Polen og Hviderusland. Bygningers hurtige forfald uden vedligeholdelse. Mannahatta projektet og New Yorks broer og øvrige infrastruktur. Gletsjere og Tanganyikasøen. Nordamerikas store dyr og hvorfor de uddøde. Aberdaressumpene i Kenya, Serengeti, Tsavo reservatet. Forladte hoteller i Varosha på Cypern, Istanbul, huler i tufsten, polymerer og affaldshvirvlen i Atlanterhavet, olie og olieprodukter, gigantiske rørledningsnet under Houston og omegn, landbrug i New England og England, Rothamsted Manor, forsøgslandbrug, gamle målerækker, gødskning, braklægning, ophør af dyrkning. Panamakanalen. Koreas DMZ zone som fristed, den nordamerikanske vandredue, laplandsuglen, bobolinken. Røde lys i radiomaster, højspændingsmaster, veje, højhusvinduer, katte alt sammen slår fugle ihjel. Radioaktivt affald, kernevåben, Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Rocky Flats, Infinity Room, verdens 441 akraftværker producerer 13000 tons højaktivt affald pr år, Tjernobyl, Pripjat. Canadas diamantminer, metandepoter, chlatrater, West Virginia, åbne kulminer, CO2 deponering. Maya kultur. Perm massedøden. Begravelser, balsamering, bronzekister, epidemier. Kunstværker forgår, bronze består. Slim i havet. Johnston Atoll, giftafbrænding, den sorte lagune. Vi er generelt set bare alt for mange.Glimrende oversigt over mange af menneskenes omfattende projekter - ikke alle virker lige gennemtænkte

[nmele_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is one of the best things I have read in a long while--beautifully written, elegantly imagined and argued, chock full of startling information. I only gave it four stars because the solution Weisman proposes in the last few pages is really one that deserves a much lengthier treatment, including proposals for overcoming the serious resistance the idea of limiting each woman to a single child will encounter from all sorts of people around the world. But this is the only book or article about the environmental stress humans are putting on our only habitat which directly addresses the fact that there are simply more of us than the earth can sustain.

[satyridae · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What would happen if every human just disappeared from the earth tomorrow? Weisman investigates and reports on this thought experiment. Engagingly written.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I believe the world would be much better off without us.

[jenneb_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reading this book was strangely reassuring--it was nice to think about how quickly things could return to a kind of balance without people.
However, I'm now even more aware of all the plastic bags that infest practically every corner of modern life. I'm afraid I'm going to wake up one morning suffocated in a pile of them.

The other thing about this book was that it made me want to go back and finish reading [book:Children of Men] , so I'm going to go do that.

[librarybrandy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Eh. Some interesting information here, but a repetitive presentation. I probably only listened to about half of it; my brain kept wandering off. Not sure if I'd recommend this or not... I feel like I already got the interesting points from the Aftermath: Population Zero National Geographic special.

[paperloverevolution · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As a fan of post-apocalyptic science fiction, I found The World Without Us tremendously enjoyable. If, like me, you’ve ever wondered what the world would really look like if all of humanity were somehow decimated tomorrow, this careful and detailed book will tell you. It is sometimes hopeful, as when he is describing the wildlife that flourishes in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, or how nature is breaking through the cracks of New York City, and sometimes utterly bleak, as when he explores the environmental legacy of our dependency on plastics, or what will happen as nuclear waste dumps and oil refining plants age and shift.

The book’s message is ultimately, though guardedly, optimistic: the author makes a solid argument for our ability to coexist in peace with nature, if we are willing to make sweeping enough changes. If we are not, the book tells us, we will pass away, and the earth, as always, will abide.

[psiloiordinary_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great idea for a book well executed.This is basically a post apocalyptic horror novel with you as the main character as you will not be able to stop yourself imagining how you might survive in the world if everyone else was no more.