The Best Books on the Apocalypse
There was frenzy when December 21, 2012 drew near. The Mayan calendar ended on that date, and many believed it would mark the end of the world. The naysayers were right, but this didn't stop the believers from predicting another date on doomsday. Why were there so many books and films on the apocalypse?
Gerardo Aldana, an associate professor at the University of California (Santa Barbara), thought there was a misunderstanding of the calendar.
“Priests and historians used the Long Count to track mythology back to 3114 B.C. and even earlier,” he said.
“But they only really recorded their history for the time between A.D. 300 and 900. They then extended the calendar far into their and our own future, as far as A.D. 4772.”
The Mayan Empire, which spanned from 200 B.C. to the 1600 A.D., knew a great deal in astronomy and mathematics. It was their knowledge (in both fields) that enabled them to build temples and pyramids. They were more than eye candy; El Castillo would be the most iconic Mayan pyramid, while the ruins in Tikal, Guatemala have the best-preserved structures.
No hearsay
The difference between doomsayers and the authors of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is the latter don't expoud on hearsay. Where is the world heading to? Five books provide a glimpse of the bleak future:
Battle Royale (1996) by Koushun Takami. In the distant future, the Republic of Greater East Asia (formerly known as Japan) is facing a problem on overpopulation. There will be more teenagers than adults, which won't do good to the economy. So the government implements a program that would reduce the populace. But there's a twist. Fans of William Golding's “Lord of the Flies” would notice a similarity, but Takami's story is about the bureaucracy. It's the ugly truth about it.
Beyond Thirty (1915) by Edward Rice Burroughs. World War I turns North America into a utopian community, while Europe regresses to barbaric times. The author of “Tarzan” didn't write an allegory. Read carefully in able to detect the ominous message.
The City of Ember (1993) by Jeanne DuPrau. One of the best works in Young-adult fiction in recent years turns out to be a post-apocalytpic novel. The title refers to a metropolis within the depths of the caves. No one knows what lies beyond the lights. Two teenagers become curious after learning about the letter by one of the city's founders. They will embark on a dangerous trip.
Children of Men (1992) by P.D. James. Human civilization is facing extinction after two decades of human fertility. This leads to conflicts in many countries, except Great Britain. A mass exodus to this island nation is about to happen, but not without a struggle. The book mirrors the problems caused by migration. But James is hinting on something else.
I Am Legend (1954) by Richard Matheson. A disease turns the human race into vampires. Robert Neville is the only living survivor. The vampires troop to his house every night, making sounds to make him aware of his loneliness. He travels around Los Angeles by day, hoping to meet a living woman. He has no idea of what he is about to find. This is a desperate tale of a man against all odds, but it's more of an illustration of how science becomes myth.
