The Last Man

'The Last Man' is Lionel Verney, who grows up as an orphan in the English countryside, cut off from civilization. Set in the late 21st century, the novel follows its protagonist as he becomes a part of society and builds his life as part of a community - until a contagious illness begins to spread the globe. Even though nominally a work of science fiction, 'The Last Man' explores the implications of politics and the social conventions of its own time. While England remains central to the work, its connections to Europe and the world at large are central to the story.