u003cbu003eThe most famous catastrophe novel of the twentieth century, John Wyndham's u003ciu003eThe Day of the Triffidsu003c/iu003e, published as a Penguin Essential for the first time.u003c/bu003eu003cpu003eu003ciu003e'When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.'u003c/iu003e u003cpu003eWhen a freak cosmic event renders most of the Earth's population blind, Bill Masen - one of the lucky few to keep his sight - finds himself trapped in a London jammed with sightless mobs who prey on those who can still see. But another menace stalks blind and sighted alike. With nobody to stop them the Triffids - walking carnivorous plants with lethal stingers - rise up as humanity stumbles and falls . . .u003c/pu003e