The Real History of the End of the World

April 5, 2010
In this cogent history, novelist and medieval historian Newman (The Witch in the Well, The Real History Behind the DaVinci Code) takes a cheerfully skeptical view of end-of-times prophesies beginning with the many flood stories of pre-historical Mesopotamia (including Noah's Ark), and ending with modern apocalyptic visions like the Branch Davidians cult, the contemporary Christian idea of rapture, and the (secular) Y2K scare. In between these bookends, Newman dips into the apocalyptic beliefs of early Christians (such as the vision of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse), Chinese Daoism, the fictional 12th century magician Merlin ( "associated with prophecy" throughout Europe for more than 800 years), and the increasingly infamous Mayan calendar that supposedly "ends" on December 21, 2012, a false prophesy Newman attributes to commentators who don't understand the writing, religion or archaeoastronomy of the ancient civilization: "the Mayans, like the Egyptians, were more concerned with keeping the world going than with when it was going to end." Entertaining and well-footnoted, this guide to the ends of the Earth will inform skeptics but is unlikely to sway believers.

April 15, 2010
In this jaunty trip through the Apocalypse, Newman looks at the many, many theories about civilizations end that began springing up close to civilizations beginning. The story of the Flood, which appears in numerous cultures, suggested the earth had almost been destroyed once. That global memory must have led to the realization it could happen again. Let the predictions begin! In Western culture, many are familiar not only with biblical prophecy but also with the writings of Nostradamus, both convoluted in their own ways. Now that 2012 is near, the musings of the Maya have taken center stage. But along the way, there has also been the Chinese millennial movements, the agendas spouted by various messiahs, andlet us not forgetthe disappointing Y2K. Newman, who has done her research (and notes that her book could have been a thousand pages longer), doesnt seem too worried, although she lists numerous phenomena that could possibly end existence, likes solar flares or an asteroid hitting the earth. Better keep some drinking water on hand, just in case.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)