The Scarlet Plague

A short post-apocalyptic novel set in 2073. An old man living in the wilds of California tells his grandsons about the world before a devastating plague wiped out most of humanity in 2013. He recalls a lost civilization of science, cities and learning, while the boys, living in a primitive tribal society, barely understand him. The book considers how fragile knowledge and social order can be, and it is an early example of the end-of-the-world story.