Notes from an Apocalypse

Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back is a 2020 non-fiction book by Irish writer Mark O'Connell.[1]

Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back
First edition cover (Granta)
AuthorMark O'Connell
Audio read byMark O'Connell
LanguageEnglish
PublisherGranta Books
Publication date
16 April 2020
Media typePrint (hardback and paperback), e-book, audio
Pages272
ISBN978-1-78378-406-6 (hardback)
OCLC1097672923
613.6/9
LC ClassGF86 .O36 2020

Synopsis

Notes from an Apocalypse is an investigative book about the anxieties of a potential ecological and social collapse and the movements of survivalism that have followed. Mark O'Connell describes his experiences at the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, survival bunkers in South Dakota, an apocalyptic retreat in New Zealand, and with the environmentalist group Dark Mountain Project in the Scottish Highlands. He details his communications with doomsday preppers, aspiring space colonists and right-wing conspiracists.

Reception

At the review aggregator website Book Marks, which assigns individual ratings to book reviews from mainstream literary critics, the book received a cumulative "Positive" rating based on 20 reviews: 8 "Rave" reviews, 10 "Positive" reviews, 1 "Mixed" review, and 1 "Pan" review.[2]

Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews praised the "wry" humour of O'Connell's writing style.[3][4]

James McConnachie of The Times gave the book a rave review, praising O'Connell's humour, sincerity and "bitingly clever" analysis.[5]

Lauren Oyler of The Guardian gave the book a negative review, criticizing its "high-flown language" and narrative style.[6]

The book was also reviewed in The New York Times,[7] The Wall Street Journal,[8] NPR,[9] The Irish Times,[10] Wired[11] and The Observer.[12]

References
  1. "Notes from an Apocalypse". Granta. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  2. "Book Marks reviews of Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back by Mark O'Connell". Book Marks. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  3. "Nonfiction Book Review: Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back by Mark O'Connell". Publishers Weekly. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  4. "Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back by Mark O'Connell". Kirkus Reviews. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  5. McConnachie, James. "Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back by Mark O'Connell review — ready for the end". The Times. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  6. Oyler, Lauren (15 April 2020). "Notes from an Apocalypse by Mark O'Connell review – how to survive the End". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  7. Szalai, Jennifer (8 April 2020). "'Notes From an Apocalypse' Is a Timely Tour of Preparing for the Worst". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  8. Lichtig, Toby (10 April 2020). "'Notes From an Apocalypse' Review: The Truly Final Frontier". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  9. "In 'Notes From An Apocalypse,' The End Of The World Is A State Of Mind". NPR.org. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  10. Self, John. "Subscriber Only: Notes from an Apocalypse review: Laugh and scream to the bitter end". The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  11. "In 'Notes From an Apocalypse,' Catastrophe Meets Optimism". Wired. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  12. Adams, Tim (5 April 2020). "Notes from an Apocalypse by Mark O'Connell – review". The Observer. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
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