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Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse: The Official Field Manual for the End of the World
THE END IS ALL KINDS OF NIGH. So go ahead and start with the panicky noises. Then, crack open this handy book. It's your comprehensive guide to the last days, a must-have for apocalypse watchers, readers of Revelation and all-around Armageddon obsessives. Inside you'll find valuable information like: -- A brief history of the end of the world -- The Apocalyptionary (a glossary of the end) -- Candidates for the Antichrist -- Fun with eschatology! -- The Endies (a salute to end-times entertainment) ...and several other slightly alarmist and conspiracy-minded categories. Doomsday has never been so much fun!
161 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 31, 2018
Humorous tongue-in-cheek guide to the end of the world. Heavy on the religion. If the authors decide to update it any time soon, they should add Trump to the list of potential Antichrists.
March 16, 2012
This is an excellent companion book for Mercury Falls, as it goes into more detail about the many people throughout the centuries who have loudly and publicly predicted a date for the end of the world, only to have that day come and go without so much as a flicker of fire and brimstone.
Boyette has a wonderful comic touch as he recounts the various Doomsday prophets from 1000 BC to the present day freaking out over the supposed end of the Mayan calendar and consequently the world on December 12, 2012.
He also addresses the ways the world could end--meteors, earthquakes, rogue planets on a collision course with the earth--and debunks each one.
It's very comforting to know that all the talk about the world ending on December 21, 2012 is just talk. Earth will abide. At least for the next 750 million years or so.
Boyette has a wonderful comic touch as he recounts the various Doomsday prophets from 1000 BC to the present day freaking out over the supposed end of the Mayan calendar and consequently the world on December 12, 2012.
He also addresses the ways the world could end--meteors, earthquakes, rogue planets on a collision course with the earth--and debunks each one.
It's very comforting to know that all the talk about the world ending on December 21, 2012 is just talk. Earth will abide. At least for the next 750 million years or so.
January 16, 2008
Ever wonder what the heck people are talking about when they say post-tribulation dispensational premillennialism? Well, wonder no more and really, really enjoy Jason Boyett's "official field manual for the end of the world." This book takes a great tongue-in-cheek look at the end times and what (not) to expect. It even includes a chapter on potential anti-Christs.
June 9, 2023
This book was loaned to me by my late grandfather shortly before his passing. I was never able to finish it before now (mostly because I was too busy with other things), but I’m glad that I’ve done so now. I can say that it was definitely a book that my grandfather enjoyed: equal parts sarcastic and informative. All in all, this is a very thorough introduction to the history and current standing of eschatology and a pretty easy and humorous (considering the topic) read.
June 7, 2011
Man, do I LOVE my dad. He just got this for me today from the book store. For the person that doesn't know much about me (which should be almost EVERYONE), I love Apocalypse stuff. It's just very very interesting and fascinating to me. I can't help it. But that doesn't mean I'm obsessed with death and killing people and all that...I just like to learn about the end of the world. I can't help it. It's just me and I can't really explain it. SO, I'm going to be reading this on and off, as my life goes on. Go Apocalypse!
***
I can't really put this book on the "read" bookshelf. I basically skipped around to parts that I wanted to read. I actually didn't read much of it. I'll tell you why....
Well, the only reason that I did, was that it talked more about the Christan idea of the end of the world. All that Jesus coming back to Earth and fighting the Antichrist stuff....Not that I have anything against that. It's just not what I want to read about, if you know what I mean. I like the scientific side of the end of the world, and the human side. Not exactly the religious side. Again not that I have anything against that. Anyways...So I ended up reading like 1/4 of the book instead of the whole thing.
The two things that I did like about this book was that it was humorous. It takes a light heart to the end of the world. It's was funny. It kind of reminded me of how in the book Peeps by Scott Westerfeld how the main character talked about things (that was of course BEFORE the sucky ending). It was again light-hearted and very funny. Anyway, that was one thing I liked about the book.
Another was the ending part. The section titled "Armageddon Grab-Bag." In that section was six ways nature and six ways man can create the end of the world. It was interesting and funny (because of the way he explained it). I already knew all of the nature ways, but there was one man way that I've never heard before and that really caught my attention. It was called "Genetically Enhanced Class Warfare." What was that about? you ask. Well, you've heard about humans destroying themselves right? Well, that is basically it. How he explained it was that only the rich people would be able to "genetically enhance" their kids (making them super smart, super strong, basically super human) and then the people who are not rich won't be able to genetically enhance their kids. So there's basically two classes of human. Super human and normal human. Guess what that causes? Yep, the human race destroying themselves. Cool right? No? Well, I thought it was cool.....
Anyway, that was basically what I thought about the book. I might read more from it in the future....but for now I'm shelving it.
***
Okay after reading Good Omens, I decided to pick this baby up again. I still didn't read all of it, but I read more of it.
I still didn't really read the chapter with the Christian theories on The End. I'm still not extremely interested about it. But I recognize the influence that the Bible has on history (thank you English II and World History), and I do know now that if I'm going to continue reading stuff about the Apocalypse I have to know stuff about the Second Coming and the Antichrists and all that. So, I'll keep this book in mind when I want to know what eschatology or premillennialism or any other end of the world word means.
Anyway, what I did read that I didn't last time was the timeline about all the different dates where people said the world was going to end. Its very interesting now that I know the context for these Apocalyptic prophecies (again thank you World History), and how end of the world stuff has been around for so damn long that its nothing really new. But what really struck me was the thing about how Regan and his administration thought that The End was near so saw no problems in drilling, polluting, and destroying because it was all going to end sometime soon. Now that just freaks me out that a President would think that way, him being so powerful and all.
Which leads more to another point about this section...Since this book was published in 2005 there are a few dates that he didn't have. There are a couple that come to mind when I think about it. There's that southern preacher that spent all that money advertising that the end of the world was going to be on May 21, 2011, only to revise his date to October 21, 2011. Don't forget he did already predict the Rapture in the 1990s and that of course didn't happen. Then there's the whole December 21, 2012, thing with the end of the Mayan calendar, sun lining up with the center of the Milky Way, and Nostradamus prophecies. 'Course that date hasn't passed yet, but my bet (looking back on history) is that The End won't happen then. Jesus himself said that no one can pin down the date of the Apocalypse so I don't know why all these people continue to try.
Overall, it was that section that peaked my interest the most this time around. I will definitely keep this funny little book on my shelf for future fun, facts, and reference.
***
I can't really put this book on the "read" bookshelf. I basically skipped around to parts that I wanted to read. I actually didn't read much of it. I'll tell you why....
Well, the only reason that I did, was that it talked more about the Christan idea of the end of the world. All that Jesus coming back to Earth and fighting the Antichrist stuff....Not that I have anything against that. It's just not what I want to read about, if you know what I mean. I like the scientific side of the end of the world, and the human side. Not exactly the religious side. Again not that I have anything against that. Anyways...So I ended up reading like 1/4 of the book instead of the whole thing.
The two things that I did like about this book was that it was humorous. It takes a light heart to the end of the world. It's was funny. It kind of reminded me of how in the book Peeps by Scott Westerfeld how the main character talked about things (that was of course BEFORE the sucky ending). It was again light-hearted and very funny. Anyway, that was one thing I liked about the book.
Another was the ending part. The section titled "Armageddon Grab-Bag." In that section was six ways nature and six ways man can create the end of the world. It was interesting and funny (because of the way he explained it). I already knew all of the nature ways, but there was one man way that I've never heard before and that really caught my attention. It was called "Genetically Enhanced Class Warfare." What was that about? you ask. Well, you've heard about humans destroying themselves right? Well, that is basically it. How he explained it was that only the rich people would be able to "genetically enhance" their kids (making them super smart, super strong, basically super human) and then the people who are not rich won't be able to genetically enhance their kids. So there's basically two classes of human. Super human and normal human. Guess what that causes? Yep, the human race destroying themselves. Cool right? No? Well, I thought it was cool.....
Anyway, that was basically what I thought about the book. I might read more from it in the future....but for now I'm shelving it.
***
Okay after reading Good Omens, I decided to pick this baby up again. I still didn't read all of it, but I read more of it.
I still didn't really read the chapter with the Christian theories on The End. I'm still not extremely interested about it. But I recognize the influence that the Bible has on history (thank you English II and World History), and I do know now that if I'm going to continue reading stuff about the Apocalypse I have to know stuff about the Second Coming and the Antichrists and all that. So, I'll keep this book in mind when I want to know what eschatology or premillennialism or any other end of the world word means.
Anyway, what I did read that I didn't last time was the timeline about all the different dates where people said the world was going to end. Its very interesting now that I know the context for these Apocalyptic prophecies (again thank you World History), and how end of the world stuff has been around for so damn long that its nothing really new. But what really struck me was the thing about how Regan and his administration thought that The End was near so saw no problems in drilling, polluting, and destroying because it was all going to end sometime soon. Now that just freaks me out that a President would think that way, him being so powerful and all.
Which leads more to another point about this section...Since this book was published in 2005 there are a few dates that he didn't have. There are a couple that come to mind when I think about it. There's that southern preacher that spent all that money advertising that the end of the world was going to be on May 21, 2011, only to revise his date to October 21, 2011. Don't forget he did already predict the Rapture in the 1990s and that of course didn't happen. Then there's the whole December 21, 2012, thing with the end of the Mayan calendar, sun lining up with the center of the Milky Way, and Nostradamus prophecies. 'Course that date hasn't passed yet, but my bet (looking back on history) is that The End won't happen then. Jesus himself said that no one can pin down the date of the Apocalypse so I don't know why all these people continue to try.
Overall, it was that section that peaked my interest the most this time around. I will definitely keep this funny little book on my shelf for future fun, facts, and reference.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2017
Great overview of the history of eschatology and why it remains so popular despite all the failed End Times predictions. This was my second time reading it and I will probably read it once or twice more before my own "End Times."
Now if y'all will excuse me, a trumpet is blasting and the sky is turning red so I need to see what is afoot.
Now if y'all will excuse me, a trumpet is blasting and the sky is turning red so I need to see what is afoot.
July 2, 2017
The author offers a fresh, even humorously cheeky look at the serious subject of apocalypse. Without compromising conviction, Boyett provides a glossary terms, explaining the differing theological systems regarding end times, while exposing foolish date setters and the mongers of sensationalism. This book is actually a funny, side door entry into difficult things.
May 17, 2016
Sometimes I just need a change of gear in my reading, something light, something with some wit. The Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse fitted my need perfectly.
Sometimes I wonder in amazement at how people aren't followers of Jesus and then I read a book like this and all the pre-millenial nutcases and their predictions of the end of the world and I wonder at the miracle that anyone at all has chosen to become a Christian.
This does manage the tricky feat of both genuinely informing you about eschatology while poking lots of fun at the mad way too many Christians get their knickers in a twist trying to predict what Jesus called unpredictable. He shows a little bit too much respect for Left Behind though, because those novels are awful. Anyway if you want some humour with your doomsaying, the-end-is-nigh-and-this-time-I-mean-it, antichrist identifying then this is a great little book to buy.
Sometimes I wonder in amazement at how people aren't followers of Jesus and then I read a book like this and all the pre-millenial nutcases and their predictions of the end of the world and I wonder at the miracle that anyone at all has chosen to become a Christian.
This does manage the tricky feat of both genuinely informing you about eschatology while poking lots of fun at the mad way too many Christians get their knickers in a twist trying to predict what Jesus called unpredictable. He shows a little bit too much respect for Left Behind though, because those novels are awful. Anyway if you want some humour with your doomsaying, the-end-is-nigh-and-this-time-I-mean-it, antichrist identifying then this is a great little book to buy.
October 10, 2008
This book isn't what I expected at all. I expected it to be something humorous and similar in style to The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead. While there were certainly bits of humor the book itself was not a parody of a survival guide. Instead it explained clearly and succinctly the different schools of Judeao-Christian belief as they relate to the Apocalypse/Armageddon. Jesus as messiah aside, the differences seemed to be largely about whether the rapture will occur pre, post, or mid-tribulation. The book also covered the anti-Christ mythology.
It really was quite an interesting read.
It really was quite an interesting read.
March 8, 2013
I read this book several years ago and recently found it while unpacking boxes from a move. I had forgotten how funny some of the stories were. Definitely a good read for someone who likes short stories that you can do more research or just keep going. One of the funniest parts were the 10 requirements for the Anti-Christ and the candidate's.
February 10, 2011
Definitely a "bathroom book," The Pocket Guide offers a tour through apocalyptic predictions, many candidates for the Antichrist, and tells us how we can expect the world to end. A fun read, good for fans of the Zombie Survival Guide or How to Survive the Robot Uprising.
May 31, 2009
Freaking hilarious
May 25, 2015
hella funny!
April 13, 2010
Absolutely hilarious. Well worth the $4 it is going for on Amazon.
March 24, 2011
Very chatty overview. Not a scholarly work, but doesn't pretend to be.
May 25, 2011
Not my style of reading...a quick easy read...but the topic although with much humor intertwined is just too heavy for me.
June 15, 2011
A slightly complicated read! Funny however.
Read
July 28, 2011This book was very funny, especially when it tried to make a case for Bill Gates being the antichrist.
November 7, 2011
If you do not know anything about apocalyptic terms and symbolism, it is definitely for you. Otherwise do not bother.
Read
February 12, 2018More funny than informative, but it's an entertaining read that might get you to research things more in depth.
June 25, 2012
Interesting introduction to the prevalent beliefs about the end times.
August 5, 2012
I love that Jason Boyett. He doesn't take anything too seriously, including the end of the world.
June 15, 2014
Good, short, funny, informative. Assuming the author did good research, it was informative and I learned a bunch of new stuff. He also kept it light, so I wasn't too much of a downer.
June 21, 2014
Fun and informative, this guide will make anyone smile at the thought of the apocalypse.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews