Oh, I'm going to help you fall asleep.

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Tonight we'll be reading After London or Wild England, a science fiction precursor by Richard Jeffries first

published in 1885. In its day referred to as fantasy or romance, now we may describe it as eco-apocalyptic.

The story tells of how London becomes a swamp land after an unspecified natural disaster delivers England over to the mercy of nature.

Let's get cozy.

Let's get cozy.

close your eyes.

Relax your body into the softness of your bed.

Now, take a few deep breaths.

Chapter 1, The Great Forest,

The Old men say their fathers told them that soon after the fields were left to themselves a change began to be visible. It became green everywhere in the first spring

after London ended, so that all the country looked alike.

The meadows were green and so was the rising wheat which had been sown, but which neither had nor would receive any further care.

Such arable fields as had not been sewn, but were the last stubble had been plowed up, were overrun with

couchgrass, and where the short stubble had not been plowed, the weeds hit it.

So that there was no place which was not more or less green,

...