The World Without Us perspective. Chauncey Mabe of the "South Florida Sun-Sentinel" calls the book "one of the most satisfying environmental books of recent memory, one devoid of self-righteousness, alarmism or tiresome doomsaying". Tom Spears of the CanWest News Service concludes "it's more a portrait of ourselves, taken through an odd lens" and "[s]ometimes an obituary is the best biography". The book is categorized as non-fiction science but some commentators emphasize it may be better described as speculative fiction. "The World Without Us" is grounded in environmental and science journalism. Like other environmental books, it discusses the impact that the human race has had
SS Benwood a half miles abeam("Robert C. Tuttle"). It is reported that at 12:45 a.m. the "Robert C. Tuttle" sighted a black object ahead of the ship and turned starboard after signaling "I intend to turn starboard." with one blow of the ship's whistle. There was no response from the other ship. At 12:50 a.m., the "Benwood" reported to have sighted a black object off her starboard. She sounded the ship's whistle twice indicating, "I intend to turn port." There was no response. It is believed that the two ships were now unwittingly on a collision course with each other. Just before