This is my first posting here, though I've been browsing for a couple weeks. This is such a wonderful sight!! My question for you all out there across the country is of a novel I have been searching for for many years. I remember it reading assignment for my 7th grade English class. I have no clue as to the author's name, nor it's title. It was of a survival book, of a man who is camping in the woods by himself. I believe he gets bitten by a rattlesnake and while succumbing to the poison's effects, the world is descimated by a plague of some sort. He survives, comes from the woods and finds the town deserted. In a newspaper vending machine, he sees the headlines...'The End is Here..' or something to that effect. I believe he ends up finding other survivors, they all band together for mutual survival. I think that the survivors were having some problems with a pack of feral dogs, and another year their garden is destroyed somehow. I can remember that each year that passes, this man goes to the local park and chips another 1 for the year on a big boulder. He had children and his favorite child ends up dying from a sickness that strikes down many others of the survivors. I believe this novel is centered in the San Fransisco area because there's mention of the Bay Bridge I think. That some survivors would cross the bridge to live on the other side to prevent too much intermixing of genes. I read this book faster than anyone in my class, and I would love to find it again. I hope you may all help me in my search. Thank you.

-- carter, c. (elin7@hotmail.com), December 11, 2000

Answers

The book you refer to is Earth Abides by George R. Steward. Let's see. I only reread it about every two years, so I have probably read it about ten times and get something different out of it each time.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 11, 2000.

If you like sci-fi novels along the survivalist line, try to find "Farmer in the Sky". It was required reading when I was in freshman science fiction. It was by Clark or Heinlein (sorry , I can't recall which). The story line was futuristic for the time, earth was dying and people were traveling to a new world to homestead. I am currently trying to find it for my 10 year old to read and keep in our library.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 11, 2000.

Carter, check your email. I found you a copy cheap. John

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), December 11, 2000.

Jay, that's a Heinlein book (Farmer in the Sky).

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), December 11, 2000.

Thanks a bunch. I love 'end of the world' novels and this one looks good. Thanks. Also try "The Wall" by Marlen Haushofer. Very well- written.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), December 11, 2000.

Yep That's it...Earth Abides by George R. Steward....Read it just a couple weeks ago.

Jason

-- Jason (AJAMA5@netscape.net), December 12, 2000.

I read one like this called "Alas Babylon"....maybe you might try reading it! It's really good! Blessings, Sissy

-- sissy sylvester-barth (jerreleene@hotmail.com), December 12, 2000.

Anyone have an extra copy of Farmers in the Sky or The Wall? Will swap an extra copy of either Alas Babylon or Earth Abides for either. I also love end-of-the-world or end-of-mankind novels. Have something like 250 paperbacks in this area. However, when I was a teenager/early 20s my dad tried to get me to read Atlas Shrugged. I have tried to do so about four times. Simply cannot get past the first couple chapters. For older members, what was the fuss about when this book came out?

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 12, 2000.

WOW! Thank you ALL for your reponse to my inquiery. I didn't think I would ever find the book. For those of you who emailed me, I can't seem to get into my hotmail, some problem of sorts. I will retry again later. I have already read (and re-read about a half dozen times) "Alas, Babylon", also a novel I had read in school. I so enjoy reading these 'types' of novels, as well as those written in the first person narrative,..biographies, diaries. I enjoy reading period! I have also read "Patriots" by Wesley Rawls (?) I thoroughly enjoyed that,..I had to force myself to only read a certain amount each night. Otherwise I would have read it in a day. Well, I don't wish to rattle on. Again, thank you all. For those that emailed me, I will get back to you. Hopefully we'll talk again soon. carter, c.

-- carter, c. (elin7@hotmail.com), December 12, 2000.

Hey, while we're talking about doomsday novels - what's the name or author of the one that follows a group in Europe (France?) after nuclear war. The main character dies in the end of appendicitis.

-- Sam in W.Va. (snorris@dnr.state.wv.us), December 13, 2000.

I just remembered a book that you all out there might enjoy. For Sam in WV, I'm not sure if this is the book you are talking about or not. Anyway it's called "The Return" by Richard Maynard. I must have re- read this particular novel more than six times. Basically it's about seven astronauts who leave the earth in hopes of finding another planet. They don't and return to earth after getting somewhat 'lost in space'. Upon returning to Earth, they find that there's something 'wrong'. I won't go any further into details for those who haven't read this book. I will say that it is placed in Europe, France actually, like Sam in WV had said.

-- carter, c. (elin7@hotmail.com), December 13, 2000.

Sam:

The book you referred to is Malevil by Robert Merle. An international bestseller for 26 weeks.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 14, 2000.

Ken S.

I read Atlas Shrugged this year. It has a pretty strong message about the ills of a society that takes from those who can and gives to those who won't. It was pretty heavy stuff but IMO, worth the effort.

-- Mona in OK (jascamp@ipa.net), December 15, 2000.

By going to www.half.com I was able to find a copy of both The Return and The Wall, and another one I had been looking for. Prices were reasonable and shipping is normally book rate - not priority as some shippers demand.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 19, 2000.