A post-apocalyptic road trip dodging zombies. The aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, generations later. An alien spore that infects the young first. In the post-apocalyptic future, anything goes, and only the strong survive.

Three unlikely heroes must save Britain from a horde of zombie cows in this “clever and very funny twist on the traditional zombie novel” (Booklist, starred review). Winner of the inaugural Terry Pratchett Award It began with a cow that just wouldn’t die. It would become an epidemic that transformed Britain’s livestock into sneezing, slavering, flesh-craving, four-legged zombies. Forget the cud—these cows want blood. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the fate of the nation is in the hands of three individuals who don’t exactly inspire confidence: an abattoir worker whose love life is non-existent thanks to the stench of death that clings to him, a teenage vegan with eczema and a weird crush on his maths teacher, and an inept journalist who wouldn’t recognize a scoop if she tripped over one. As the nation descends into chaos, can they pool their resources, unlock a cure, and save the world? Three losers. Overwhelming odds. One outcome . . . Yup, we’re screwed.

We live in a world at risk. Dire predictions about our future or the demise of planet earth persist. Even fictional representations depict narratives of decay and the end of a commonly shared social reality. Along with recurring Hollywood blockbusters that imagine the end of the world, there has been a new wave of zombie features as well as independent films that offer various visions of the future. The Apocalypse in Film: Dystopias, Disasters, and Other Visions about the End of the World offers an overview of Armageddon in film from the silent era to the present. This collection of essays discusses how such films reflect social anxieties—ones that are linked to economic, ecological, and cultural factors. Featuring a broad spectrum of international scholars specializing in different historical genres and methodologies, these essays look at a number of films, including the silent classic The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the black comedy Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, the Mayan calendar disaster epic, 2012, and in particular, Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia, the focus of several essays. As some filmmakers translate the anxiety about a changing global climate and geo-political relations into visions of the apocalypse, others articulate worries about the planet’s future by depicting chemical warfare, environmental disasters, or human made destruction. This book analyzes the emergence of apocalyptic and dystopic narratives and explores the political and social situations on which these films are based. Contributing to the dialogue on dystopic culture in war and peace, The Apocalypse in Film will be of interest to scholars in film and media studies, border studies, gender studies, sociology, and political science.

DAWN OF THE APOCALYPSE gathers the pinnacle of speculative fiction to explore end times across diverse landscapes, from the desolate to the dystopian. It stitches a rich tapestry of literary approaches, ranging from the classic gothic horror of Edgar Allan Poe to the socio-political dystopias envisioned by Ayn Rand and H.G. Wells, and the unique utopian perspective of Edward Bellamy. The anthology thrives on its variety, not just in the cataclysmic events it portrays but also in the myriad ways these events are perceived and interpreted by its characters. Key pieces within this collection stand as milestones in the science fiction genre, framing apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic narratives as lenses through which we critique and comprehend contemporary societal fears. The authors, both pioneers, and craftsmen of their time, come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds, each contributing to the anthology's overarching theme with their unique flavor of apocalypse. These writers are not just storytellers but visionaries who collectively paint a multifaceted picture of humanity at the brink. They belonged to and were influenced by a range of historical, cultural, and literary movements, from the romanticism and transcendentalism of the 19th century to the early 20th century's modernism and the budding science fiction genre. Their combined works offer a historical capsule of societal anxieties and hopes, reflecting on themes of human resilience, the abuse of technology, and the moral dilemmas of progress. DAWN OF THE APOCALYPSE is an essential collection for readers eager to dive into the depths of human imagination faced with its own end. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to traverse the vast landscapes of apocalyptic fiction through the eyes of some of the most influential authors in literary history. This anthology not only serves as an academic goldmine for those studying the evolution of speculative fiction and its impact on society but also provides a timeless reflection on humanity's perennial concerns with its own survival and legacy. Readers are invited to witness the end of worlds not just as an exercise in literary exploration but as a mirror to our collective psyche across generations.

This charming and whimsically illustrated book of newly minted words—on politics and the media, love and friendship, work, play, family, fashion, and city life—is “a lexicon of witty neologisms for the modern age” (Vanity Fair). You are a typical citizen of the young millennium, caught up in the fast-paced megatasking socio-professional whirl of our ever-evolving digitally enhanced lives. If you’ve ever wondered what to call it when you answer the TV remote instead of the phone, or wished you had a phrase to capture your supervisor’s stealth campaign to stall your career, here is your guide. Now you can say “Oops, droidian slip!” with ease, and call out your boss for the impedimentor that he is. Armed with Wordbirds, you will be able to skillfully talk your way into—or out of—any situation the twenty-first century throws at you. With 150 gorgeous, highly expressive bird illustrations, these neologisms will have you crowing with delight, and show you that fine feathers make fine words. (Not to mention give new meaning to the term “tweeting.”) A perfect gift book, Wordbirds is “literary catnip for bird lovers who also find themselves fascinated—or annoyed—by the quirks of modern life” (The New York Times Book Review).

The Revelation to John by Stephen Smalley is a magisterial interpretation of John's Apocalypse as a grand drama, which can only be properly understood in light of John's Gospel and letters and in the context of the Johannine community. As such, it offers the reader a significantly different approach to this enigmatic text than that offered by most contemporary commentaries. Working directly from the Greek text, Smalley offers a masterful analysis of the critical and literary dimensions of the Apocalypse for students and scholars alike. Contents include an in-depth, critical analysis of the Greek text of Revelation a wealth of scholarly interaction with other commentaries and interpretations of Revelation a canonical assessment of Revelation in light of other Johannine texts a historical understanding of Revelation in the context of the Johannine community an interpretation of Revelation as cosmic drama Here is a fresh contribution to the scholarly study of this captivating but often perplexing book of the Bible. Smalley demonstrates that the Apocalypse speaks directly to any situation in any age and offers a portrait of God's loving justice that is relevant to our own society.

Will the world, as we know it, end in our time? It's the intention of this book to teach you what you'll need to know IF it does. Spiritual/scientific predictions, asteroid impacts, pandemics, economical/governmental collapse, solar flares, electrical grid failure, climate change, epic floods, WW3, Planet-X, peak oil, super tsunamis, alien invasions, how the government's preparing; this book has it all, and teaches how you and your family can survive it all. A complete self-help guide not only for the end times, but any global crises, of which we seem to be having plenty of lately. Written by a retired Boeing Aerospace Technician who lived six years 100% self-sufficient and cut-off from society; Dan Martin presents eye-opening views of humanity; and his insights into possible future events are breath-taking, to say the least. The book makes you wonder, is the end closer than we think? Are any of us really prepared?