Heya. I would like a recommandation for what is basically a post apocalyptic book, but completely devoid of action of any kind.
Essentially it should be just a lonely person roaming around after the end of civilization. Free of any responsabilty or burden, with nothing left to lose or gain, he wonders.
No interaction. No animal companion or coconut with a face drawn on it. No zombies, vampires, robots, survivors, raising sea levels or any other external conflict of any kind, shape or form. Just following his internal monologue as he goes about his days, reminiscing, fantasising. Just thinking about and doing stuff. Searching for meaning.
Recovered account of a civilization's last remnant.
by Particular-Energy217
6 Comments
*I Who Have Never Known Men* fits this really well
The Last Canadian by William C. Heinze 1974 has some of those elements. Essentially a massive plague wipes out most of the population and the protagonist takes his family to northern Canada to isolate them. Spoiler: they get sick and die, leaving him alone.
The Wall by Marlen Haushofer. Don’t know that it fits every single detail of your request but it is in the general category.
Dog Stars is 97% close to what you’re looking for. A guy. His dog. His single engine plane. A post apocalyptic world. Thoughtfulness. Contemplation.
The 3% other parts are pretty much plot markers around that architecture of solitude and exploration of world.
Piranesi isn’t post apocalyptic but it’s about one man alone in a world
The Last Man, by Mary Shelley.
It’s possible that Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel partially fits.