Apocalypse How: Turn the End-Times into the Best of Times!

by Rob Kutner

People have been predicting the end of the world since...well, the beginning of it. Oh, the form it takes may vary-firestorm, earthquake, plague, new ice age, alien invasion, nuclear cloud, or the rise of our machines-but everyone who survives will be starting over at Square One. Your needs won't be that different from today' food, shelter, work, finances, relationships, 24-hour cable.... But you'll have more raw materials to deal with. Apocalypse How is the humorous how-to-guide to living your best life possible (after the Apocalypse renders your current quality of life null and void.) Organized like a travel or lifestyle guide, the book tells you all you need to know in order to fend off zombies, forge for non-radioactive food, and make the most of your new dwelling (while ignoring the ash outline of its previous occupants on the far wall.)This handy volume includes such essential sections What to Expect When We're Exploding Before We Your Essential To-Hoard List Should You Stay or Should You Flee? Questionnaire Sex, Love, and What if You Are the Last Man on Earth? The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Petty Tyrants The Apocalyptic Aptitude Test Apocalypse How is guaranteed to be of use in the world to come. It also makes a handy defense weapon if thrown, and firestarter if needed.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Post Apocalyptic

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2008

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light, but fun, with some pretty clever little riffs on contemporary life. This is a good book to just pick up and read for a few pages when you have a few minutes - it's good enough to make me want to see what else this author has written.

[Rick Christiansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is not funny. I don't abandon books ever, so I trudged along and finished it. By the end of the book, I was actually praying for the apocalypse. Granted it is more of a coffee table book...pick it up read a page, maybe get a chuckle. But if you read this cover to cover, I guarentee you will rate it one star. It is thorough, but again, NOT at all humorous.

I gave the book 2 stars for the overall look and design. Each page is in color and well designed. Full of photos and drawings, and I think each page is decorated differently. So that was the best part and the only reason this wasn't a one star.

[Richard L. Haas III · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way the book is was organized as well as how its written and it's style. Of course I would given that Kutner usually writes for "The Daily Show," even wining an Emmy for it. I'll be sure to read this many times in my "ape-proof bunker" in the days after.

[Corey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an extremely 2010 book. Didn't age well.

[Holden Attradies · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was incredibly disappointed by this book. It wasn't that it was badly written, it's not. And the graphic design was very nice, but none of that saved it for me. It came off as being written by someone who knew very little about the Post apocalyptic genre beyond what is part of main steam culture.

I was expecting something that was both deeply paying tribute to and making fun of the P.A. genre and it felt like it did neither. I was also expecting more of an actual guide, but it was full of really shallow tips that were just really shallow and fairly uncreative jokes.

Perhaps this book would be a great read for someone not too into the Post Apocalyptic genre, but for those into/very familiar with the genre I'd avoid it, you'll be disappointed.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've been reading a number of apocalypse books lately, so I thought this book would be appropriate to read. I also thought it would be funny.
Turns out I was wrong on both counts.
The book is well written, and the layout of the book, with the graphics and formatting, is well done. But the book isn't funny. Kutner's idea of the apocalypse seems to be that everyone will be glowing and have three arms from the nuclear fallout, and we'll all be eating dirt and rocks to survive. Those jokes are repeated multiple times, and it gets old. I expected a funnier take on the more common “prepper” style books, but instead I get “everyone will be eating rocks, you can have all the stuff you want, here's a cheesy pickup line for that woman with 3 arms.”

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apocalypse How: Making the End Times the Best of Times is a must-have guide to survive any apocalypse!
This book had me laughing and giggling the whole time. I couldn't put it down! This book is packed with tips on what to eat and wear for the apocalypse! It even covers how to hold a wedding and the best pick up lines that will have ladies crawling at your feet! (ha ha) Go find this book at your local book store and get it!

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author, Rob Kutner, was a writer on the Daily Show. You can tell when reading this. It has some good jokes and satire in it, but every single section is the same formula of jamming in as many apocalypse-themed puns as possible. Every sentence reads like a line from the Daily Show, which is good in moderation, but maybe not as much over the course of 200 pages.

[Schnaucl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay book. There were some humorous lines, but I didn't find myself laughing as much as I'd hoped.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who honestly goes on goodreads unless forced....

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll make sure it's on the book shelf in my bomb shelter. At least I could use it to light a fire...and there is an actual page dedicated to that.

[Michael Rath · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chuckling good time.

[David Brzezinski · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are so many more books out there on this subject that are so much better, both serious and tongue in cheek. You would be better off reading one of them than this one.

[John Opalenik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light funny read for those who want to see the lighter side of the end of the world.

It's a great coffee table book, or a great read on a plane.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever read. Entertaining. What else is there to say about "light reading?"

[Ryan Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny satire on those doomsday prepper books.