The iconic novel by Mary Shelley that invented the genre of human extinction and introduced literature about climate change, now for the first time in Penguin Classics editions. Written during a self-imposed quarantine after the loss of her husband and children, and amidst crises such as climate change following the eruption of Mount Tambora and a cholera epidemic, The Last Man (1826) is an early work of climate fiction and a prophetic depiction of environmental change.
Set in the late 21st century, a deadly pandemic outbreak leaves one sole survivor and follows his journey through a post-apocalyptic world, devoid of humanity and reclaimed by nature. Instead of surrendering to despair, Shelley imagines a new world where fresh communities and alternative ways of existence replace the self-admitted politicians who serve corrupt institutions, and where nature reigns over humanity.
Rich in political intrigue, The Last Man addresses partisan dysfunction, imperial wars, humanitarian crises, and economic collapse — and brings the legacy of her progressive parents, William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft, to highlight today's questions about creating a better world less centered around "man".
Pages: 592, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm
