The Death of Grass

The Death of Grass is a '56 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel written by the British author Samuel Youd, under the pen name of John Christopher It is the first in a series of post-apocalyptic novels by him. It deals with the concept of a virus that kills off all forms of grass. The novel was written "in a matter of weeks" & liberated Youd from his day job. It was retitled No Blade of Grass for the US edition as supposedly the US publisher thought the original title "sounded like something out of a gardening catalogue" & the film rights were sold to MGM.The world's hunger turned to rape and murder. It began simply enough when an Asiatic virus destroyed the grass and grain supply of the entire world. A mass slaughter began as nations murdered their own citizens so that some might live. And then there came a time when every man lived for himself without laws or morals. It was then that there was no hope for civilization, because there was No Blade of Grass.