Buy this book
The Last Man chronicles the last days of humanity in the 21st century as it is slowly obliterated by a global pandemic. Radical changes and events across Europe—the king abdicates, turning England into a Republic; war erupts between Greece and Turkey—weaken the fabric of society, allowing an unknown and deadly disease to quickly spread across the world. Political leaders are disorganized; spiritual figures offer little comfort; science yields no answers. Previously distinguished individuals abandon their people in their time of need out of cowardice, while others admirably rise up to the occasion. Yet, none of this matters at all when humanity comes to its end.
Mary Shelley wrote this book during the darkest time of her life. Over the years, she had lost her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley; her close friend, Lord Byron; and her children. Writing the novel became an instrument to process her own hopelessness and isolation—various characters are impressions of her departed loved ones.
Contemporary critics were not kind to The Last Man. While Frankenstein was lauded for its depiction of scientific presumption, humanity’s impotence and subsequent extinction were deemed offensive. The book faded into near-obscurity and merely survived until its rediscovery in the 1960s. After two World Wars, several epidemics, and the threat of nuclear annihilation, humanity’s end may not have seemed as absurd any more.
Buy this book
Previews available in: English
Subjects
Fiction, Plague, Twenty-first century, End of the world, British and irish fiction (fictional works by one author), Fiction, fantasy, general, Fiction, science fiction, general, English literature, Twenty-first century -- Fiction, End of the world -- Fiction, Plague -- Fiction, Long Now Manual for Civilization, Fiction, general, Science fiction, Epidemics -- FictionTimes
21st Century| Edition | Availability |
|---|---|
| 001 |
zzzz
|
| 002 |
zzzz
|
| 003 |
zzzz
|
| 004 |
zzzz
|
| 005 |
zzzz
|
|
006
Last Man, by the Author of Frankenstein
2023, Creative Media Partners, LLC
in English
1019400927 9781019400920
|
zzzz
|
| 007 |
zzzz
|
| 008 |
zzzz
|
|
009
Last Man, by the Author of Frankenstein
2023, Creative Media Partners, LLC
in English
1021188182 9781021188182
|
zzzz
|
| 010 |
zzzz
|
| 011 |
zzzz
|
| 012 |
zzzz
|
| 013 |
zzzz
|
| 014 |
zzzz
|
| 015 |
zzzz
|
| 016 |
zzzz
|
| 017 |
zzzz
|
| 018 |
zzzz
|
| 019 |
zzzz
|
| 020 |
zzzz
|
| 021 |
zzzz
|
| 022 |
zzzz
|
| 023 |
zzzz
|
| 024 |
zzzz
|
| 025 |
zzzz
|
| 026 |
zzzz
|
| 027 |
zzzz
|
| 028 |
zzzz
|
| 029 |
zzzz
|
| 030 |
zzzz
|
| 031 |
zzzz
|
| 032 |
zzzz
|
| 033 |
zzzz
|
| 034 |
zzzz
|
| 035 |
zzzz
|
| 036 |
zzzz
|
| 037 |
zzzz
|
| 038 |
zzzz
|
| 039 |
zzzz
|
| 040 |
zzzz
|
|
041
Last Man Complete Illustrated and Unabridged Edition
2022, Independently Published
in English
9798419048225
|
zzzz
|
| 042 |
zzzz
|
| 043 |
zzzz
|
| 044 |
zzzz
|
| 045 |
zzzz
|
| 046 |
zzzz
|
| 047 |
zzzz
|
| 048 |
zzzz
|
| 049 |
zzzz
|
| 050 |
zzzz
|
|
051
Last Man Complete Illustrated and Unabridged Edition
2022, Independently Published
in English
9798825684840
|
zzzz
|
| 052 |
aaaa
|
| 053 |
zzzz
|
| 054 |
zzzz
|
| 055 |
zzzz
|
| 056 |
zzzz
|
| 057 |
zzzz
|
| 058 |
zzzz
|
|
059
Last Man a Future Earth at the Time of the Late 21st Century, Ravaged by an Unknown Pandemic Which Quickly Sweeps Across the World: Apocalyptic, Dystopian Science Fiction Novel
2022, Independently Published
in English
9798839242586
|
zzzz
|
| 060 |
zzzz
|
| 061 |
zzzz
|
| 062 |
zzzz
|
| 063 |
zzzz
|
| 064 |
zzzz
|
| 065 |
zzzz
|
| 066 |
zzzz
|
| 067 |
zzzz
|
| 068 |
zzzz
|
| 069 |
zzzz
|
| 070 |
zzzz
|
| 071 |
zzzz
|
| 072 |
zzzz
|
| 073 |
zzzz
|
| 074 |
zzzz
|
| 075 |
zzzz
|
| 076 |
zzzz
|
| 077 |
zzzz
|
| 078 |
zzzz
|
|
079
Last Man by Mary Shelley: with Original Illustration
2021, Independently Published
in English
9798476149705
|
zzzz
|
| 080 |
zzzz
|
| 081 |
zzzz
|
| 082 |
zzzz
|
| 083 |
zzzz
|
| 084 |
zzzz
|
| 085 |
zzzz
|
| 086 |
zzzz
|
| 087 |
zzzz
|
| 088 |
zzzz
|
| 089 |
zzzz
|
| 090 |
zzzz
|
| 091 |
zzzz
|
| 092 |
zzzz
|
| 093 |
zzzz
|
| 094 |
zzzz
|
| 095 |
zzzz
|
| 096 |
zzzz
|
| 097 |
zzzz
|
| 098 |
zzzz
|
| 099 |
zzzz
|
| 100 |
zzzz
|
| 101 |
zzzz
|
| 102 |
zzzz
|
| 103 |
zzzz
|
| 104 |
zzzz
|
| 105 |
zzzz
|
| 106 |
zzzz
|
| 107 |
zzzz
|
| 108 |
zzzz
|
| 109 |
zzzz
|
| 110 |
zzzz
|
| 111 |
zzzz
|
| 112 |
zzzz
|
| 113 |
zzzz
|
| 114 |
zzzz
|
| 115 |
zzzz
|
| 116 |
zzzz
|
| 117 |
zzzz
|
| 118 |
zzzz
|
| 119 |
zzzz
|
| 120 |
zzzz
|
| 121 |
zzzz
|
| 122 |
zzzz
|
| 123 |
zzzz
|
| 124 |
zzzz
|
| 125 |
zzzz
|
| 126 |
zzzz
|
| 127 |
zzzz
|
| 128 |
zzzz
|
| 129 |
zzzz
|
| 130 |
zzzz
|
| 131 |
zzzz
|
| 132 |
zzzz
|
| 133 |
zzzz
|
| 134 |
zzzz
|
| 135 |
zzzz
|
| 136 |
zzzz
|
| 137 |
zzzz
|
| 138 |
zzzz
|
| 139 |
zzzz
|
| 140 |
zzzz
|
| 141 |
zzzz
|
| 142 |
zzzz
|
| 143 |
zzzz
|
| 144 |
zzzz
|
| 145 |
zzzz
|
| 146 |
zzzz
|
| 147 |
zzzz
|
| 148 |
zzzz
|
| 149 |
zzzz
|
| 150 |
zzzz
|
| 151 |
zzzz
|
| 152 |
zzzz
|
| 153 |
zzzz
|
| 154 |
zzzz
|
| 155 |
zzzz
|
| 156 |
zzzz
|
| 157 |
zzzz
|
| 158 |
zzzz
|
| 159 |
zzzz
|
| 160 |
zzzz
|
| 161 |
zzzz
|
| 162 |
zzzz
|
| 163 |
zzzz
|
| 164 |
zzzz
|
| 165 |
zzzz
|
| 166 |
zzzz
|
| 167 |
zzzz
|
| 168 |
zzzz
|
| 169 |
zzzz
|
| 170 |
zzzz
|
| 171 |
zzzz
|
| 172 |
zzzz
|
| 173 |
zzzz
|
| 174 |
zzzz
|
| 175 |
zzzz
|
| 176 |
zzzz
|
| 177 |
zzzz
|
| 178 |
zzzz
|
| 179 |
zzzz
|
| 180 |
zzzz
|
| 181 |
zzzz
|
| 182 |
zzzz
|
| 183 |
zzzz
|
| 184 |
zzzz
|
| 185 |
zzzz
|
| 186 |
zzzz
|
| 187 |
zzzz
|
| 188 |
zzzz
|
| 189 |
zzzz
|
| 190 |
zzzz
|
| 191 |
zzzz
|
| 192 |
zzzz
|
| 193 |
zzzz
|
| 194 |
zzzz
|
| 195 |
zzzz
|
| 196 |
zzzz
|
| 197 |
zzzz
|
| 198 |
zzzz
|
| 199 |
zzzz
|
| 200 |
zzzz
|
| 201 |
zzzz
|
| 202 |
zzzz
|
| 203 |
zzzz
|
| 204 |
zzzz
|
| 205 |
zzzz
|
| 206 |
zzzz
|
| 207 |
zzzz
|
| 208 |
zzzz
|
| 209 |
zzzz
|
| 210 |
zzzz
|
| 211 |
zzzz
|
| 212 |
zzzz
|
| 213 |
zzzz
|
| 214 |
zzzz
|
| 215 |
zzzz
|
| 216 |
zzzz
|
| 217 |
zzzz
|
| 218 |
zzzz
|
| 219 |
zzzz
|
| 220 |
zzzz
|
| 221 |
zzzz
|
| 222 |
zzzz
|
| 223 |
zzzz
|
| 224 |
zzzz
|
| 225 |
zzzz
|
| 226 |
zzzz
|
| 227 |
zzzz
|
| 228 |
zzzz
|
| 229 |
zzzz
|
| 230 |
zzzz
|
| 231 |
zzzz
|
| 232 |
zzzz
|
| 233 |
zzzz
|
| 234 |
zzzz
|
| 235 |
zzzz
|
| 236 |
zzzz
|
| 237 |
zzzz
|
| 238 |
zzzz
|
| 239 |
zzzz
|
| 240 |
zzzz
|
| 241 |
zzzz
|
| 242 |
zzzz
|
| 243 |
zzzz
|
| 244 |
zzzz
|
| 245 |
zzzz
|
| 246 |
zzzz
|
| 247 |
zzzz
|
| 248 |
zzzz
|
| 249 |
zzzz
|
| 250 |
zzzz
|
| 251 |
zzzz
|
| 252 |
zzzz
|
| 253 |
zzzz
|
| 254 |
zzzz
|
| 255 |
zzzz
|
| 256 |
zzzz
|
| 257 |
zzzz
|
| 258 |
zzzz
|
| 259 |
zzzz
|
| 260 |
zzzz
|
| 261 |
zzzz
|
| 262 |
zzzz
|
| 263 |
zzzz
|
| 264 |
zzzz
|
| 265 |
zzzz
|
| 266 |
zzzz
|
| 267 |
zzzz
|
| 268 |
zzzz
|
| 269 |
zzzz
|
| 270 |
zzzz
|
| 271 |
zzzz
|
| 272 |
zzzz
|
| 273 |
zzzz
|
| 274 |
zzzz
|
| 275 |
zzzz
|
| 276 |
zzzz
|
| 277 |
zzzz
|
| 278 |
zzzz
|
| 279 |
zzzz
|
| 280 |
zzzz
|
| 281 |
zzzz
|
| 282 |
zzzz
|
| 283 |
zzzz
|
| 284 |
zzzz
|
| 285 |
zzzz
|
| 286 |
zzzz
|
| 287 |
zzzz
|
| 288 |
zzzz
|
| 289 |
zzzz
|
| 290 |
zzzz
|
| 291 |
zzzz
|
| 292 |
zzzz
|
| 293 |
zzzz
|
| 294 |
zzzz
|
| 295 |
zzzz
|
| 296 |
zzzz
|
| 297 |
zzzz
|
| 298 |
zzzz
|
| 299 |
zzzz
|
| 300 |
zzzz
|
|
301
The Last Man
Aug 25, 2020, Spoken Realms and Blackstone Publishing
audio cd
1664782869 9781664782860
|
zzzz
|
| 302 |
zzzz
|
| 303 |
zzzz
|
| 304 |
zzzz
|
| 305 |
zzzz
|
| 306 |
zzzz
|
| 307 |
zzzz
|
| 308 |
zzzz
|
| 309 |
zzzz
|
| 310 |
zzzz
|
| 311 |
zzzz
|
| 312 |
zzzz
|
| 313 |
zzzz
|
| 314 |
zzzz
|
| 315 |
zzzz
|
| 316 |
zzzz
|
| 317 |
zzzz
|
| 318 |
zzzz
|
| 319 |
zzzz
|
| 320 |
zzzz
|
| 321 |
zzzz
|
| 322 |
zzzz
|
| 323 |
zzzz
|
| 324 |
zzzz
|
| 325 |
zzzz
|
|
326
The Last Man (Dover Thrift Editions)
Sep 18, 2019, Dover Publications
paperback
0486836118 9780486836119
|
zzzz
|
| 327 |
zzzz
|
| 328 |
zzzz
|
| 329 |
zzzz
|
|
330
Last Man. Vol. 1 and Vol. 2: Science Fiction Novel
2019, Independently Published, Independently published
in English
1090814062 9781090814067
|
zzzz
|
| 331 |
zzzz
|
| 332 |
zzzz
|
| 333 |
zzzz
|
| 334 |
zzzz
|
| 335 |
zzzz
|
| 336 |
zzzz
|
| 337 |
zzzz
|
| 338 |
zzzz
|
| 339 |
zzzz
|
| 340 |
zzzz
|
| 341 |
zzzz
|
| 342 |
zzzz
|
| 343 |
zzzz
|
| 344 |
zzzz
|
| 345 |
zzzz
|
|
346
Last Man: Is a Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction NOVEL
2018, Independently Published
in English
1731122934 9781731122933
|
zzzz
|
| 347 |
zzzz
|
|
348
The Last Man, by the Author of Frankenstein
Oct 09, 2018, Franklin Classics
hardcover
0341932108 9780341932109
|
zzzz
|
|
349
The Last Man
May 03, 2018, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
paperback
1718677340 9781718677340
|
zzzz
|
|
350
The Last Man, by the Author of Frankenstein
Oct 20, 2018, Franklin Classics Trade Press
paperback
0343887940 9780343887940
|
zzzz
|
| 351 |
zzzz
|
| 352 |
zzzz
|
| 353 |
zzzz
|
|
354
Last Man: Beware; for I Am Fearless, and Therefore Powerful
2018, Independently Published
in English
172880843X 9781728808437
|
zzzz
|
| 355 |
zzzz
|
|
356
The Last Man, by the Author of Frankenstein
Oct 20, 2018, Franklin Classics Trade Press
hardcover
0343887959 9780343887957
|
zzzz
|
| 357 |
zzzz
|
| 358 |
zzzz
|
| 359 |
zzzz
|
|
360
The Last Man
Feb 23, 2017, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
paperback
154329099X 9781543290998
|
zzzz
|
| 361 |
zzzz
|
|
362
Last Man: By Mary Shelley - Illustrated
2017, Independently Published
in English
1521958971 9781521958971
|
zzzz
|
|
363
Last Man: By Mary Shelley - Illustrated
2017, Independently Published
in English
1521128863 9781521128862
|
zzzz
|
| 364 |
zzzz
|
| 365 |
zzzz
|
|
366
Last Man: By Mary Shelley - Illustrated
2017, Independently Published
in English
1520637381 9781520637389
|
zzzz
|
| 367 |
zzzz
|
| 368 |
zzzz
|
| 369 |
zzzz
|
| 370 |
zzzz
|
| 371 |
zzzz
|
| 372 |
zzzz
|
| 373 |
zzzz
|
| 374 |
zzzz
|
| 375 |
zzzz
|
|
376
Mary Shelley - The Last Man: "Invention, it must be humbly admitted, does not consist in creating out of void, but out of chaos."
Mar 06, 2014, Word to the Wise, A Word To The Wise
paperback
1783948280 9781783948284
|
zzzz
|
| 377 |
zzzz
|
| 378 |
zzzz
|
| 379 |
zzzz
|
| 380 |
zzzz
|
| 381 |
zzzz
|
| 382 |
zzzz
|
|
383
The Last Man
Jul 28, 2012, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
paperback
1478319526 9781478319528
|
zzzz
|
| 384 |
zzzz
|
| 385 |
zzzz
|
| 386 |
zzzz
|
| 387 |
zzzz
|
| 388 |
zzzz
|
| 389 |
zzzz
|
| 390 |
zzzz
|
| 391 |
zzzz
|
| 392 |
zzzz
|
| 393 |
zzzz
|
| 394 |
zzzz
|
| 395 |
zzzz
|
| 396 |
eeee
|
| 397 |
zzzz
|
| 398 |
zzzz
|
| 399 |
zzzz
|
| 400 |
zzzz
|
| 401 |
zzzz
|
| 402 |
zzzz
|
|
403
The Last Man (Large Print Edition)
June 18, 2007, BiblioBazaar
Paperback
in English
1434629600 9781434629609
|
zzzz
|
| 404 |
zzzz
|
|
405
The Last Man (Second Edition) (Beyond Armageddon)
May 1, 2006, Bison Books
Paperback
in English
080329350X 9780803293502
|
zzzz
|
| 406 |
zzzz
|
|
407
The Last Man (Wordsworth Classics) (Wordsworth Classics)
November 5, 2004, Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Paperback
in English
- New Ed edition
1840224037 9781840224030
|
zzzz
|
| 408 |
zzzz
|
| 409 |
zzzz
|
|
410
The Last Man (Collected Works of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley 3 volumes)
May 2000, Classic Books
Library binding
0742621022 9780742621022
|
zzzz
|
| 411 |
zzzz
|
| 412 |
cccc
|
|
413
The Last Man (Broadview Literary Texts)
September 11, 1996, Broadview Press
Paperback
in English
- New Ed edition
1551110768 9781551110769
|
zzzz
|
| 414 |
zzzz
|
| 415 |
zzzz
|
| 416 |
cccc
|
| 417 |
cccc
|
| 418 |
zzzz
|
| 419 |
zzzz
|
| 420 |
zzzz
|
| 421 |
cccc
|
| 422 |
zzzz
|
|
423
The last man.: Edited with an introd. by Hugh J. Luke, Jr.
1965, University of Nebraska Press
in English
|
zzzz
|
| 424 |
bbbb
|
| 425 |
zzzz
|
| 426 |
bbbb
|
| 427 |
bbbb
|
| 428 |
zzzz
|
| 429 |
zzzz
|
| 430 |
zzzz
|
Book Details
Edition Identifiers
Work Identifiers
Source records
Work Description
Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, wrote the apocalyptic novel The Last Man in 1826. Its first person narrative tells the story of our world standing at the end of the twenty-first century and - after the devastating effects of a plague - at the end of humanity. In the book Shelley writes of weaving this story from a discovery of prophetic writings uncovered in a cave near Naples. The Last Man was made into a 2008 film.
Community Reviews (1)
| 3 days ago | Edited by bitnapper | Merge works (MRID: 256448) |
| May 29, 2025 | Edited by AgentSapphire | reverted to revision 24 |
| May 28, 2025 | Edited by smeghead.h | The original description was for The Last Man by Mary Shelley, but the actual book is Finches of Mars by Brian W. Aldiss. I have updated the data to match the book |
| March 25, 2025 | Edited by Zander | Bulk tagging works |
| December 8, 2009 | Created by ImportBot | add works page |















































