The World Without Us imagines how the world would be without humans; how it would recover, how it would still suffer from things we've left behind. It's enlightening and somewhat depressing, as humans aren't disappearing anytime soon and as our destructive habits aren't lessening greatly anytime soon, and I suppose I am too jaded already. Still, many interesting facts to add to my arsenal. I highly recommend!

Weisman should have left this as a long article. It was repetitive and what seemed interesting in the first few chapters became extremely tiresome by the end. Names of scholars, name of plants and animals, names of places-all thrown around as if to prove he'd done his research rather than actually furthering the story (in my opinion). So many names, of course I couldn't keep half of them straight. And it was the same over and over...when we leave, nature will come storming back in, despite the conditions we leave the earth.

I did get a better perspective on plastics and the havoc they have wreaked everywhere. I gained an appreciation for Weisman's apparent dislike of felines- "Long after we're gone, songbirds must deal with the progeny of these opportunists (cats) that trained us to feed and harbor them, disdaining our hapless apeals to come when we call, bestowing just enough attention so we feed them again." (also probably true) Mostly I learned that we don't really know what will happen if we went extinct. Everything was so speculative. If this, then this, then this, then this, followed by these other 20 events in a very specific order X will happen. It was too ridiculous for me and I was over it about halfway through. The last half was painful. And the last chapter (uploading our minds to computers and cloning/building humanoid forms on other planets with lasers and then uploading our minds to them was so outrageous I would have quit listening then and there if it wasn't already the end.

The premise was good, there are some interesting facts and descriptions, but the pace lags making it very difficult to get through.

Very good study of life on earth if humans suddenly disappeared. Wasn't sure I really like the book while I was reading it but I find myself constantly thinking back to chapters and referring to it so I must have enjoyed it.

So, what if the human race were to suddenly disappear, what would happen to the earth? This question was posed to Alan Weisman at a cocktail party, and he wrote a short theorizing essay in response. The essay was so popular, that he spent the next few years travelling the world to research this book. What if the human race were to suddenly disappear? Some good things, some bad things, but all in all I kept thinking "What do I care? I won't be here!" :-)

Long. Interesting if you're a big science/research fan. I could've done with the short essay. I will, however, check carefully to make sure my facial scrub doesn't contain any of those little plastic beads. Did you know they just wash down the drain and out to sea?!?! Who knew?

I read about a quarter, and maybe three quarters of that was history, not what our planet would be like if humans disappeared in an instant.