Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back

Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back

  • Downloads:1699
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2023-04-01 08:52:11
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Mark O'Connell
  • ISBN:1783784075
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

‘The Book of Revelation with a Bill Bryson touch… At least you’ll die laughing’
Sunday Telegraph

Veteran worrier, author of To Be a Machine and father-of-two Mark O'Connell meets the anarchists, environmentalists, far-right nut-jobs and super-rich who are preparing for the end of days。

NOW UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE LATEST APOCALYPSE

'Like an even more deadpan Louis Theroux。。。 essential reading ’
Mark Watson

The apocalypse is nothing new, but of late Mark O'Connell has found himself particularly anxious about the end of the world。 As things fall apart around him, he sets out to meet the people preparing to survive: environmentalists meditating in remote Scottish forests, billionaires dreaming of life on Mars or a villa in New Zealand, and conspiracy theorists yearning for a lost American idyll。 Journeying with him through this landscape of anxiety, we learn just what it takes to make it to the other side。

'Extraordinarily good – insightful, affecting, funny, and appropriately terrifying。 The perfect handbook for the end times ’
Sally Rooney

‘With that title, I half-dreaded what I’d find, but – a hundred pages in – I’m rightly anxious but laughing ’
Roddy Doyle

‘ Fretful, wise and funny … O’Connell is doing good work in difficult times。 He offers us hope’
Daily Telegraph

Download

Reviews

Ciaran Helen

Really good。 Felt that it traversed a typography much more reminiscent of a memoir than a reflection on apocalypse prepping, but maybe that’s just because I so enjoyed the parts about O’Connell and his family。 The final chapter, The Redness of the Map, was a marvellous - but still confronting - retrospective, and a much less cynical thesis to end the whole book on (surprisingly enough, given the subject matter written right into the chapter title)。 Favourite Part: the chapter on Aotearoa and bil Really good。 Felt that it traversed a typography much more reminiscent of a memoir than a reflection on apocalypse prepping, but maybe that’s just because I so enjoyed the parts about O’Connell and his family。 The final chapter, The Redness of the Map, was a marvellous - but still confronting - retrospective, and a much less cynical thesis to end the whole book on (surprisingly enough, given the subject matter written right into the chapter title)。 Favourite Part: the chapter on Aotearoa and billionaires buying up land without any desire to actually contribute to the well-being of the country, economically or socially。 My appreciation of this chapter will be because I’m from Aotearoa and I liked what Khylee Quince (Dean of Law at Auckland University of Technology) had to say about the issue。 Billionaires treating Aotearoa like a blank canvas to remove themselves from a society quickly breaking down in no small part due to the actions of billionaires and billionaire friends alike, repeats the 1800s colonialist reality: “It was always, she stressed, a narrative that erased the presence of those who were already here: her own ancestors”。 (view spoiler)[as a note, using this quote takes out the context of Quince’s whakapapa, her connections to the iwis of Te Roroa, Ngaapuhi, and Ngaati Porou; she is drawing a direct comparison to the colonialist actions against Māori peoples from Europes arrival to NZ in the early 1800s, and the continued violence, direct and institutional that continued into the present day from that point onwards (hide spoiler)]。 Quince’s discussion of the New Zealand Company was also fantastic; if you are looking for a reason to pick up this book, and you’re even partly interested in the contradictions of the post-government and post-society ethos of the rich and famous, then this chapter is an excellent one to work off of。 I’ve read a shocking amount of books about the end-times recently, both fiction and non-fiction。 Severance by Ling Ma was absolutely freaking perfection, Birnam Wood was confronting and thrilling (and also set in Aotearoa!); A Childrens Bible, Losing Earth, Chernobyl, and arguably those that follow the same themes, In Memoriam, and The Netanyahus。 I keep accidentally stumbling upon all of these, and then finding it funny how the themes continue to interact。 Notes on an Apocalypse may have been the only one of these which I found optimistic in the face of things that require cynicism; a reflection on the end-times, but an acknowledgement that O’Connell and his family, his new baby girl, are still worth it all the same。 Connections, love, relationships, are what make life worth living in the first place。 To shelter and remove ourselves from those things, deny ourselves life’s pleasures… admits defeat far too early。 Give it a read if you want any more nuance。 A final quote that closely encapsulates what I enjoyed so much about this books perspective: “When I think of Vicino’s project, his product, what comes to mind is exactly Margaret Mead’s judgement of what it means to secure oneself inside a shelter: a withdrawal from any notion that our fate might be communal, that we might live together rather than survive alone”。 。。。more

Ionut Penciuc

Depressing and fun in some aspects, presenting some banal day-to-day activities as being something completely different。 A great read!

Daniel

I picked it up out of curiousity and glad I did。O'Connell's meditations on the universal undertone of doom in life today are worth spending time with。 Insightful, funny, provocative。I also loved the ending and the poignant, heartfelt observations and thoughts about his infant daughter。 I picked it up out of curiousity and glad I did。O'Connell's meditations on the universal undertone of doom in life today are worth spending time with。 Insightful, funny, provocative。I also loved the ending and the poignant, heartfelt observations and thoughts about his infant daughter。 。。。more

Suzette

I felt like I was reading two books。 The part of the book that investigated different approaches to the coming apocalypse was fascinating and informative。 This included a trip to xPoint in South Dakota (the World's Largest Survival Bunker Complex), a visit to Chernobyl, a visit to Peter Thiel's New Zealand oasis on Lake Wanaka, and attending the Mars Society conference。 All of these vignettes were interesting and, although occasionally coloured by O'Connell's view, well worth reading。 The second I felt like I was reading two books。 The part of the book that investigated different approaches to the coming apocalypse was fascinating and informative。 This included a trip to xPoint in South Dakota (the World's Largest Survival Bunker Complex), a visit to Chernobyl, a visit to Peter Thiel's New Zealand oasis on Lake Wanaka, and attending the Mars Society conference。 All of these vignettes were interesting and, although occasionally coloured by O'Connell's view, well worth reading。 The second part of the book seemed to be about O'Connell dealing with his personal anxieties about the apocalypse and these were resolved by him becoming a parent。 If he had kept to the first book, this would have been a 4 star read。 。。。more

Luke

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 A majority of this was really good! Like a look into extreme pessimism and the anxieties that come with it and the ways in which people are reacting (extremely)。 The conversations he had were wild and I often agreed with most of O’Connell’s take aways。 However, the intro and the last chapter kind of ruined things for me。 O’Connell spends the entire book acknowledging things are wrong and most people are putting their heads in the sand, but then there are those on the opposite end who aren’t work A majority of this was really good! Like a look into extreme pessimism and the anxieties that come with it and the ways in which people are reacting (extremely)。 The conversations he had were wild and I often agreed with most of O’Connell’s take aways。 However, the intro and the last chapter kind of ruined things for me。 O’Connell spends the entire book acknowledging things are wrong and most people are putting their heads in the sand, but then there are those on the opposite end who aren’t working for solutions but instead on exit strategies。 Somehow his conclusion from all of this is to be largely unchanged except for that fact that he has kids now so he can just focus on them and their happiness instead of the actual harm his lifestyle causes?? It seemed a little bit like the whole exercise was for not much payoff then… 。。。more

Louise

“The world would end neither with a bang nor with a whimper, but with a push notification。” Took this on spec from the library。 Really enjoyed it。

Magdelanye

The stories that we believed aren't true any more, but we don't know what's true instead。 P155The end of the world has been underway for some time。 p207There is nothing like becoming a parent to turn ones mind to the future。 The future being prepared for us is scary。 We have been reading about it in the influx of dystopian fiction over the last decades and watching it in the movies。 There is a genre of dystopian music that rather cuts through the conventional categories。 The mood is subdued apoc The stories that we believed aren't true any more, but we don't know what's true instead。 P155The end of the world has been underway for some time。 p207There is nothing like becoming a parent to turn ones mind to the future。 The future being prepared for us is scary。 We have been reading about it in the influx of dystopian fiction over the last decades and watching it in the movies。 There is a genre of dystopian music that rather cuts through the conventional categories。 The mood is subdued apocalyptic, not wanting to draw attenion to itself。 The feeling of amorphous dread that permeates our lives these days manifests in various extremes。 MOC decides to face his fear and explore some of these, traveling around the world and wheedling his way into the not quite secret enclaves of those who take the signs seriously and have begun to carry out their survival plans in bunkers in rural South Dakota, at isolated retreats in New Zealand and other locations around the world。 It seemed to me that we were facing each other across a vast chasm, one that would not be breached in this conversation or any other we might be likely to have。 P156I grew to trust MOC and as I already share his sense of dismay, I could appreciate his subtle sense of humour, even as I wondered how he managed to find comfort in such direct witnessing。。。。not to say I have become an optimist。。。but simply that life no longer seems to afford me the luxury of submitting to the comfort of despair。 P241They were dancing。。。。because they felt like it, because they happened to be alive, and really, what is a person in that situation supposed to do。 P246 。。。more

Connor Kenehan

Introspective and informative, told in thoughtful and compelling language。 This was a brain-expander。 I’m writing the review many months after reading it and still think about it。

Oliver

Should we just ignore the end of the world?The book is not about how to survive the apocalypse。 Neither is it about when or how the apocalypse will come。 It also doesn’t claim to give answers as to how to prevent the apocalypse。 Instead, it is a book about humans’ preoccupations with the apocalypse。 The author, Mark O’Connell, visits a “survival shelter community,” in North Dakota, billionaires’ “apocalypse-contingency” estates in New Zealand, attends a Mars colonization conference in California Should we just ignore the end of the world?The book is not about how to survive the apocalypse。 Neither is it about when or how the apocalypse will come。 It also doesn’t claim to give answers as to how to prevent the apocalypse。 Instead, it is a book about humans’ preoccupations with the apocalypse。 The author, Mark O’Connell, visits a “survival shelter community,” in North Dakota, billionaires’ “apocalypse-contingency” estates in New Zealand, attends a Mars colonization conference in California, and takes a tour of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine。 O’Connell’s musings and revelations on the ulterior motives behind these trends were funny and genuine, but most importantly, interesting and insightful。 The racist and misogynistic undertones of doomsday preppers has always been a little more obvious, but I’d never realized how patriarchal, classist, capitalistic, and escapist the notion of interplanetary colonization actually is。 The part about the politics of “exit” vs。 the politics of “care” was especially eye-opening。 I found myself relating to and agreeing with O’Connell about pretty much everything, but I also think he and I might be pretty similar: full of environmental guilt, hyperaware of the hypocrisy in my own carbon footprint behavior, and a father who struggles with the morality of having children in a dying world。 Others might dismiss him as too dramatic or sensitive, but I found him to be neither。 Given my established anxieties about the Earth and its end, I expected the book to give me more reasons to be stressed out。 “Fortunately,” it just gave me more reasons to be skeptical of the solutions presented。While the first few parts were really engaging, though, the chapter where he goes on the wilderness retreat was not as engaging。 His reflections on his time with his children at the end was certainly touching and relatable, but also didn’t offer as much to chew on。 He remains very introspective throughout, but these chapters felt more about a personal coming-to-terms with the state of things than with exposing ulterior motives and subconscious attitudes (which, to be fair, is still very much in line with the “personal journey” part of the book’s subtitle)。 The last few chapters were still good, just not as good as the first five。 。。。more

Trey Hall

A report about both the anticipated crisis at the end-of-the-world and the experienced crisis at the middle-of-one-man’s-life。

Alexys

An interesting read whereby the author goes around the world looking at ways in which the world has ended, is ending, or people are preparing for the end in typically capitalist ways。 Something to keep in mind with this particular work is that, as stated on the cover, it is the author's *personal journey*。 While he draws on facts and statistics, you do detect his own biases and feel his own anxieties coming through on every page。 After awhile, it can get a little draining to read his repeated se An interesting read whereby the author goes around the world looking at ways in which the world has ended, is ending, or people are preparing for the end in typically capitalist ways。 Something to keep in mind with this particular work is that, as stated on the cover, it is the author's *personal journey*。 While he draws on facts and statistics, you do detect his own biases and feel his own anxieties coming through on every page。 After awhile, it can get a little draining to read his repeated self-recriminations, guilt, and meta-musings on how guilty he is as a human。 I did notice that he seems to like certain words, especially "intimations。" You'll find it everywhere in the book。 I almost wanted to start keeping count for how many times he used that one word alone。 So。。。 be prepared for a little repetitiveness。 。。。more

Nils Brandsma

Might have been my favorite book of the year

Timothy Swartout

The author seems prone to pessimism and a lack of ability to see things in a positive light。 He encounters various aspects of apocalyptic culture in order to write the book: touting the Chernobyl disaster site, hobnobbing with extreme preppers, attending a conference in man’s attempts to colonize Mars in order to get off our “dying world” and a visit to a post apocalyptic camp in Northern Scotland for those who can afford it。 He speaks often of his therapy sessions and his feeling of lack of con The author seems prone to pessimism and a lack of ability to see things in a positive light。 He encounters various aspects of apocalyptic culture in order to write the book: touting the Chernobyl disaster site, hobnobbing with extreme preppers, attending a conference in man’s attempts to colonize Mars in order to get off our “dying world” and a visit to a post apocalyptic camp in Northern Scotland for those who can afford it。 He speaks often of his therapy sessions and his feeling of lack of control over the future and seems to always come back to worries about the future for his young children。 These are legitimate worries over which most people have no control and are understandable to a point。 Near the end of the book the author seems to get past some of his gear, at least momentarily, and focus on the good things in his life; his children and family etc。 This seems like the appropriate tact to take in my opinion。 If we spend all our time worrying about “what if,” rather than what is then what kind of lives do we lead? Maybe productive but certainly unhappy。 Control what you can and do the best you can for your family and try to enjoy the ride。 We’re not here for that long anyway, I’m the grand scheme of things。 。。。more

Jules

Not nearly as interesting as it promised to be。 Should have read the subtitle more closely, perhaps - this is a book about the author, not the apocalypse。

rommana

dnf。 great idea, uninspiring writer

Susan

Not an easy read but an important one for those of us who are concerned about the future of the earth and/or humanity。 At one point the author discusses the generally unpopular opinion that humanity surviving is perhaps not the best idea。 I found this quite refreshing as I've had similar thoughts。 Maybe not having ever had children makes it easier for me to feel this way! The author makes it clear at the end of the book that he would find it sad if humanity were to die out。I've just seen how muc Not an easy read but an important one for those of us who are concerned about the future of the earth and/or humanity。 At one point the author discusses the generally unpopular opinion that humanity surviving is perhaps not the best idea。 I found this quite refreshing as I've had similar thoughts。 Maybe not having ever had children makes it easier for me to feel this way! The author makes it clear at the end of the book that he would find it sad if humanity were to die out。I've just seen how much damage we humans have done and am constantly mourning species extinction, loss of biodiversity and the devastating effects of climate change。 I did find the book a bit self-indulgent at times, but not un-expected given the subject matter。 I did appreciate the author adding in his own thoughts when describing various events he attended or groups he met with。 The author finds himself actually somewhat hopeful at the end of the book, which I think is at least partly because he has a wife and small children。 。。。more

Derek Henderson

Prolix and self-indulgent。

Shane

“What did I mean by the end of the world, after all, if not the loss of my own position within it。”If you have any degree of climate anxiety, this will probably make it worse, in the best way possible。 Felt good to hear someone put really well composed thoughts behind those nagging feelings of inevitability that I’ve always had。 Really well written journey of self-discovery that uses the pending climate disaster as a useful device to propel that journey。

Jodie

If reading about real life doomsday preppers, underground bunkers built for the rich in South Dakota, Silicon Valley bajillionaires buying up land in New Zealand to escape to when shit hits the fan and plotting how to profit off of civilization's collapse, wannabe Mars colonists, and trips to Chernobyl sound like they'd tickle your end-of-the-world pee pee this one's for you! If reading about real life doomsday preppers, underground bunkers built for the rich in South Dakota, Silicon Valley bajillionaires buying up land in New Zealand to escape to when shit hits the fan and plotting how to profit off of civilization's collapse, wannabe Mars colonists, and trips to Chernobyl sound like they'd tickle your end-of-the-world pee pee this one's for you! 。。。more

Loren

Really enjoyed this-as a parent in to young ones at this time a lot of his thoughts really resonated。 Was a slow burn and I expect I’ll be thinking about it over the next few weeks

Jason Baskerville

Half exposee and half philosophical memoir, this was a well-written book that entertained and brought sober thought to the situation in which humanity finds itself。 The most poignant thought that I was left with: the struggle to survive an apocalypse pits the "haves" (preppers, those with resources, land and shelter) against the "have-nots" in an epic us vs。 them struggle to rebuild a society that favours extremes and promotes division (much like what we have now)。 It is important to make a para Half exposee and half philosophical memoir, this was a well-written book that entertained and brought sober thought to the situation in which humanity finds itself。 The most poignant thought that I was left with: the struggle to survive an apocalypse pits the "haves" (preppers, those with resources, land and shelter) against the "have-nots" in an epic us vs。 them struggle to rebuild a society that favours extremes and promotes division (much like what we have now)。 It is important to make a paradigm shift to how WE survive together - in community, in relationship, looking after each other。 Not in tiers。 。。。more

Erica Hersh

I've had a longstanding interest in preparing for natural disasters and apocalyptic events (though certainly not at prepper level), so I related to a lot of this book。 I've had a longstanding interest in preparing for natural disasters and apocalyptic events (though certainly not at prepper level), so I related to a lot of this book。 。。。more

Nigel McFarlane

The book does claim to be a personal journey, and sometimes it got a bit too personal and digressive for me; I found myself unconvinced that sitting in a tent in Scotland has a lot to do with the end of the world。 A lot of the book seems to be a cathartic exercise on the part of the author。However, there is also a lot of interesting stuff in here。 I loved the chapter on preppers, their motivations, and the contents of their bug-out bags。 (I never knew kevlar socks were a thing, and I can't imagi The book does claim to be a personal journey, and sometimes it got a bit too personal and digressive for me; I found myself unconvinced that sitting in a tent in Scotland has a lot to do with the end of the world。 A lot of the book seems to be a cathartic exercise on the part of the author。However, there is also a lot of interesting stuff in here。 I loved the chapter on preppers, their motivations, and the contents of their bug-out bags。 (I never knew kevlar socks were a thing, and I can't imagine why they would be, except perhaps as protection from shooting yourself in the foot)。 There's also some scary stuff about the mindset of libertarian billionaires, with their bunkers and their plans to sit out the apocalypse in New Zealand or on Mars。 Some of those bunkers are the size of small towns。 If you're still around after the end of the world, watch out for these people - they'll be the ones playing golf。 。。。more

Francesca

2。5-3/5

Adriane Devries

Against nearly all odds, you were born。 Scientifically, life really shouldn’t even be possible here on this rock, but look, you exist! And if you were lucky enough to have some form of parents, they perhaps told you there was a Santa Claus, or that there were no such things as monsters, and that getting good grades was important for your future。 Then you grew up and realized, goldarn it all, there are sexual predators on the next block, the politicians are corrupt, the world is going to bleeping Against nearly all odds, you were born。 Scientifically, life really shouldn’t even be possible here on this rock, but look, you exist! And if you were lucky enough to have some form of parents, they perhaps told you there was a Santa Claus, or that there were no such things as monsters, and that getting good grades was important for your future。 Then you grew up and realized, goldarn it all, there are sexual predators on the next block, the politicians are corrupt, the world is going to bleeping collapse due to climate change, pollution, war and deforestation, and nothing really matters, anyone can see, and Queen was right, Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me。Yes, these certainly are dire time times。 But in one way they are just like all other times: since recorded human history, we’ve been obsessed with how it will all end。 Fear seems to be part of our DNA, and it’s very hard to get out of our system。 While every faith and cultural iteration has its own predictions of apocalypse, and each may differ on the specifics, the overall message is nevertheless the same: We are afraid of what we do not know and must account for it symbolically in order to go about our daily lives in relative peace。Because deep down, even if the world itself isn’t hypothetically ending, we most certainly are。 We are literally dying the minute we are born, heading towards our own unknowable apocalypse。 In fact, we are ourselves the means of our own end, “the very apocalypse of which I speak,” says author Mark O’Connell, flying on airplanes and riding in vehicles that rely on fossil fuels, buying one-time-use consumer products, and perhaps even eating meat。 In summary, we are born dying, and we are hastening our deaths by the ways we live。In his Notes from an Apocalypse, O’Connell relates his own philosophical conundrum of being a sentient-yet-dying being, using his own morbid obsession to research the most logical outcomes for human annihilation available to modern science。 Then he lovingly presents the data, not as fear propaganda, but as a gentle parent’s song to the tender babe who is simultaneously doomed and honored to carry on this madness called life。 Throughout the writing of this book, he comes to a compromise with his fears and decides to calm the frig down, unconsciously following the advice of the large friendly letters of Don’t Panic on the cover of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy。 Perhaps in reading or listening to his writings, you also will be able to resolve this angst within yourself, at least temporarily。 It is after all really miserable living in a constant state of terror。 He does what he can for the world in his small ways, he teaches and loves his children, he dances, he learns, he creates, he grows。 And yes, he dies, as we all do。 But why not do it by living well? 。。。more

Mj Brodie

This book is infused with Mark O'Connell's personal experiences as a relatively new parent trying to raise his children in a world that is going through some alarming changes。 He explains the tightrope he walks as a 21st century parent of explaining dangers to his son while also preserving his innocence。 As O'Connell explains, he is of a pessimistic, anxious mindset so in this book he decides to embrace his anxiety and investigate the end-of-the-world scenarios that make him worry for the future This book is infused with Mark O'Connell's personal experiences as a relatively new parent trying to raise his children in a world that is going through some alarming changes。 He explains the tightrope he walks as a 21st century parent of explaining dangers to his son while also preserving his innocence。 As O'Connell explains, he is of a pessimistic, anxious mindset so in this book he decides to embrace his anxiety and investigate the end-of-the-world scenarios that make him worry for the future。 He visits Chernobyl, a prepper community in the USA, and a tech mogul's compound in New Zealand to gain an understanding of the kinds of disastrous scenarios that might shape our future on the planet。 I liked how O'Connell weaves in his personal experiences with the research and journalism that inform the main substance of the book。 As parents, we can all identify with the feeling of guilt and anxiety that accompanies every parenting decision we make。 This book shows that there is no easy solution to the looming anxiety that casts its shadow over everything in this time of heatwaves, pandemics and floods。 I appreciated the honesty in this book and how it avoided providing a trite platitude to wrap up the story of apocalyptic worries。 。。。more

Alexis Ilyinsky

This was a pretty good non fiction read about various people prepping for climate change / the end of the world

Elisabeth

I feel like I can’t give this five ⭐️ cause he lost me a bit towards the end。 But as someone with a lot of anxiety about everything, it was strangely comforting living in his head for a few hours。

Garth

An enjoyable and relatable deep dive into our preoccupation with the end times, this was actually quite useful in acknowledging the fear/fatalism of things coming to an end which is certainly something I've felt at times when doomscrolling late at night。 Although events have somewhat overtaken O'Connell it remains largely timely and relevant。 My only criticism would be the fondness for diatribes and getting lost in the weeds at times but O'Connell pulls it back on track。 An enjoyable and relatable deep dive into our preoccupation with the end times, this was actually quite useful in acknowledging the fear/fatalism of things coming to an end which is certainly something I've felt at times when doomscrolling late at night。 Although events have somewhat overtaken O'Connell it remains largely timely and relevant。 My only criticism would be the fondness for diatribes and getting lost in the weeds at times but O'Connell pulls it back on track。 。。。more

Kelsey Josund

The experience of reading this was very odd。 On the one hand, I highlighted what felt like every second page。 On the other, I felt like I gained very little new information or ways of thinking。 Perhaps it’s just that the author expressed things I’ve contemplated before more beautifully than I ever could。 The writing is erudite and at times a bit difficult to remain engaged in, but was speckled with bits of incisive humor and incredible insight。 I’d recommend it, but only if you’re in the right h The experience of reading this was very odd。 On the one hand, I highlighted what felt like every second page。 On the other, I felt like I gained very little new information or ways of thinking。 Perhaps it’s just that the author expressed things I’ve contemplated before more beautifully than I ever could。 The writing is erudite and at times a bit difficult to remain engaged in, but was speckled with bits of incisive humor and incredible insight。 I’d recommend it, but only if you’re in the right headspace to stare at climate change head on。 。。。more

tpg0

As an AI language model, I am not capable of having personal opinions。 However, I can provide a brief overview of the book 'Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back' written by Mark O’Connell。 The book is about the author's personal journey to understand the apocalyptic thinking that seems to be overtaking modern society。 He meets individuals who are preparing for the end of the world, whether it be through building bunkers, stockpiling food, or embracing the latest technology。 Through his travels and conversations, O’Connell explores the psychological and cultural reasons behind our obsession with the apocalypse。 Ultimately, the book offers a reflection on our current moment in history and the ways in which we may be imagining our own demise。

tpg1

As an AI language model, I don't have the ability to have personal opinions, but I can give you some information about the book。 "Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back" is a non-fiction book written by Mark O'Connell。 It is a memoir-style exploration of various doomsday scenarios and cultural reactions to them。 The author investigates different ways people cope with the idea of the apocalypse, from prepper culture to tech billionaires investing in bunkers。 O'Connell also touches on his personal experiences with anxiety and how it relates to the anxiety many people feel about the state of the world。 Overall, it is a thought-provoking examination of how different individuals and societies approach the concept of the end of the world。

tpg2

As an AI language model, I do not have personal opinions, but I can provide a brief summary of the book "Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back" by Mark O'Connell。 The book is a non-fiction account of the author's exploration into the world of apocalyptic thinking, as he meets survivalists, preppers, and doomsday cultists。 O'Connell examines the reasons behind our fascination with the end of the world, and explores the possible futures that lie ahead for humanity。 He also shares his personal experiences of grappling with the anxiety of climate change, technological advances, and political uncertainties。 The book has been praised for its insightful and witty observations, and for presenting a nuanced perspective on the topic of apocalyptic thinking。 It may appeal to readers interested in psychology, philosophy, and cultural studies。

Tag

    notes from an apocalypse a personal journey to the end of the world and back