Apocalypse Now?

May 19, 2011 | M. Elwood

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An American pastor named HaroldEnd-is-near Canning has used a mathematical formula called Doomsday Calculus to predict that the world will end this Saturday, May 21.  I hope not.  I just renewed my passport.  Although between the fires in Slave Lake and the floods in Brandon, the world does not seem to be in the best shape right now.  

Perhaps it's not the end of the world.  Yet.  Other theories assert that December 21, 2012 is the likely date.  On this day, the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar used by the pre-Columbian Maya civilization completes its "great cycle".  It is also the date of an expected collision between Earth and another planet or an asteroid or a black hole or something.  Sixteenth century prophet Nostradamus foresaw a comet, mass destruction and a world war causing havoc around this same time.  Scientists do not believe that a collision between Earth and a large extraterrestrial body is likely but who knows?

If it is the end of the world, you want to be prepared.  These novels may help.  This is a small sample of apocalyptic fiction available, so come into the library...before it's too late.

The Waiting for the End of the World Booklist

2012: The War for Souls by Whitley Strieber

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller

Flood by Stephen Baxter

Guardians of the Phoenix by Eric Brown

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (teen)

Night Work by Thomas Glavinic

On the Beach by Nevil Shute

One Second After by William Forstchen

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

The Pesthouse by Jim Crace

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Stand by Stephen King

The Stone Gods by Jeanette Winterson

Therefore Repent! A Post Rapture Graphic Novel by Jim Munroe and Salgood Sam

War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

World Made By Hand by James Howard Kunstler

Short Story Collections

The End of the World: Stories of the Apocalypse

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse

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