Why read Apocalypse?

Book cover of Apocalypse

Book description

A groundbreaking new perspective on catastrophes throughout human history, with vital lessons for our future

'This book upended my understanding of the ancient world' Zoe Schlanger, author of The Light Eaters

'Lizzie Wade is an exceptional journalist and a master storyteller' Ed Yong, author of An Immense World

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Why read it?

1 author picked Apocalypse as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Matthew Restall

Author

I learned so much from this brilliant new way of looking at human history. The title sounds grim, but the book is more about survival and adaptation than it is about catastrophe, making it surprisingly encouraging. Rather than plodding across the centuries, Wade jumps from one fascinating case study to another, each one engagingly presented in smart and lively prose. Each chapter left me keen to read the next one—and, in the end, isn’t that what reading books is all about?

From Matthew's 3 favorite reads in 2025.