Earth Abides (1949)

[NKBJ]

Any yall read Earth Abides (copyright 1949)?
It's such an able treatment for the survivor / prep genre that I thought to ask.

George R. Stewart: Earth Abides, His Most Famous Novel

 

[spencer rifle]

Yes. Below are some favorite quotes from it. Rather dated, and seems to assume the remnants of civilization (canned food, etc) will last a LONG time. Still entertaining.

“But centuries flowed by and then more of them, and many things changed. Man invented civilization, and was inordinately proud of it. But in no way did civilization change life more than by sharpening the line between work and play, and at last that division came to be more important than the old one between sleeping and waking. Sleep came to be thought a kind of relaxation, and "sleeping on the job" a heinous sin. The turning out of the light and the ringing of the alarm-clock were not so much the symbols of man's dual life as were the punching of the time-clock and the blowing of the whistle. Men marched on picket-lines and threw bricks and exploded dynamite to shift an hour from one classification to the other, and other men fought equally hard to prevent them. And always work became more laborious and odious, and play grew more artificial and febrile.” – Earth Abides, George Stewart


Between the plan and the fulfillment lies always the hazard. Heart-beat flutters, knife flashes, horse stumbles, cancer grows, more subtle foes invade....
Then they sit around the fire at the cave-mouth, and say, "What shall we do? Now that he is no longer here to lead us!" Or, while the great bell tolls, they gather in the courtyard, and say, "It should not have happened so. Who is there now to give us counsel?" Or they meet at the street-corner, and say sadly, "Why did it have to be this way? Now there is no one to take his place. "
Through all of history it runs as a plaint. "If the young king had not fallen ill.... If the prince had lived.... If the general had not so recklessly exposed himself.... If the president had not overworked...."
Between the plan and the fulfillment stands always the frail barrier of a human life. – Earth Abides, George Stewart


“What a strange thing then is this great civilization, that no sooner have men attained it than they seek to flee from it!
Must we not think then that this great civilization grew up, not by men's desires, but rather by Forces and Pressures. Step by step, as villages grew larger, men must give up the free wandering life of berry-picking and seed-gathering and tie themselves to the security (and drudgery) of agriculture. Step by step, as villages grew more numerous, men must renounce the excitement of the hunt for the security (and drudgery) of cattle-keeping.” – Earth Abides, George Stewart

 

[Wolfhound]

Yes, I have read it. I really enjoyed it.

 

[Spear Dane]

I have not even heard of this. I will definitely check it out.

 

[snapping turtle]

[video=youtube_share;TE_oIIIwWl0]Https://youtu.be/TE_oIIIwWl0[/video]

 

[Bigtanker]

I have listened to the radio production from Escape about 50 times. Isherwood is played by John Dehner. It's an hour long but what a production. Probably my all time favorite classic radio epsiode.

[video=youtube_share;QKou9sGJIGM]http://youtu.be/QKou9sGJIGM[/video]

 

[Spear Dane]

I have listened to the radio production from Escape about 50 times. Isherwood is played by John Dehner. It's an hour long but what a production. Probably my all time favorite classic radio epsiode.

[video=youtube_share;QKou9sGJIGM]http://youtu.be/QKou9sGJIGM[/video]

You have Sirius/XM and listen to the Radio Classics channel don't you?

 

[spencer rifle]

Though not quite as old as Earth Abides, this got me to thinking about prepping before I was even in high school:

Panic In The Year Zero (1962) American Nuclear Holocaust [full movie] - Vídeo Dailymotion

 

[Bigtanker]

You have Sirius/XM and listen to the Radio Classics channel don't you?

Yep. I've been a fan of that channel for over 8 years now.

 

[2A_Tom]

Listened to radio show, very realistic. His wife was not raped by the four that she served coffee to. He OC'd his hammer.

 

[indiucky]

I have listened to the radio production from Escape about 50 times. Isherwood is played by John Dehner. It's an hour long but what a production. Probably my all time favorite classic radio epsiode.

I am listening to this....Thanks for posting Tanker....I see there are many of these old radio shows on youtube.....

 

[Bigtanker]

I am listening to this....Thanks for posting Tanker....I see there are many of these old radio shows on youtube.....

There are THOUSANDS of shows like this for free on apps. I used Old Time Radio Player on my phone. Dragnet, Gunsmoke, Police Headquarters, Superman, Lone ranger. Over 20 years of radio productions.

 

[Bigtanker]

A little thread jack.....

Some of the old radio comedys were and still are hilarious. Probably my favorite it The Phill Harris and Alice Faye show. And this is my favorite episode.

[video=youtube_share;7m7vO9OkFCs]http://youtu.be/7m7vO9OkFCs[/video]

 

[Spear Dane]

Yep. I've been a fan of that channel for over 8 years now.

I loved that channel when I was driving. Johnny Dollar, Escape and Dimension X I would say are my favorites.

 

[Bigtanker]

I loved that channel when I was driving. Johnny Dollar, Escape and Dimension X I would say are my favorites.

Ah yes, YTJD. That's a good one. Did you ever catch the 9 parter?

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Thanks for posting about the book Earth Abides. Has never heard of it, but now I want to read it.

One of my favorite post apocalypse books is Alas Babylon. When I was a teenager, that one turned into an all-night reading binge.

 

[Wolfhound]

I think Alas Babylon, Earth Abides and Lucifer's Hammer were the first three post apocalypse books I read. Sure started a trend for me.

When I think of Earth Abides I think of 2 things. Thor and canned goods. Lol

 

[churchmouse]

I started reading this in High school but life prevented me finishing it. I found the book when my parents passed (it was my mothers) and have it somewhere. Might need to pick it up again.

 

[indy1919a4]

Oh God.. Come one I honestly expected better from a Forum like this...

Now if you like reading and read this book, great, your a step up in the world from most folks.. and it is a good book to read

But Ish is one of the worst people to survive a disaster. He is the poster boy of just do the opposite

--- He only tolerates those are who are his intellectual equals which there are none so he looks down on everyone no matter what skills they have
--- He never takes time to gather up supplies before the rats and other critters eat it
--- Makes no effort to learn how to build things just preserving knowledge (which he does not even do that right)
--- Decides because of intellect who can have children
--- Does not even know how long a bullet primer will live (His lack of gun knowledge should have you guys screaming)
--- Discovers the area he is living is not farmable so decides to stay there
--- He can not even teach the children, who follow , technology or how to even read (except the Bow you have to give the rascal that one)
--- For most/all the book he just sits around and thinks.. and look down on others who are not as "smart"

In about 99% of the stuff Ish does, just do the opposite and you will come out OK..

Another place for great radio shows is

https://archive.org/details/oldtimeradio

They have some good quality recordings... and do not forget other shows like The Whistler, Suspense and Phillip Marlow with the great Gerold Mohr

 

[indiucky]

Oh God.. Come one I honestly expected better from a Forum like this...

Now if you like reading and read this book great, your a step up in the world from most folks.. and it is a good book to read

But Ish is one of the worst people to survive a disaster. He is the poster boy of just do the opposite

--- He only tolerates those are who are his intellectual equals which there are none so he looks down on everyone no matter what skills they have
--- He never take time to gather up supplies before the rats and other critters eat it
--- Makes no effort to learn how to build things just preserving knowledge (which he does not even do that right)
--- Decides because of intellect who can have children
--- Does not even know how long a bullet primer will live (His lack of gun knowledge should have you guys screaming)
--- Discovers the area he is living is not farmable so decides to stay there
--- He can not even teach the children who follow technology or how to even read (except the Bow you have to give the rascal that one)
--- For most/all the book he just sits around and thinks.. and look down on others who are not as "smart"

In about 99% of the stuff Ish does, just do the opposite and you will come out OK..

Way to Denny Mike....LMAO...But to be fair to Ish he was from California....

I pictured Ish as this guy right here....