Apocalypse

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

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

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

The history of humanity is one of devastating, once-in-a-thousand-year events: rising seas that make land uninhabitable, decades-long droughts, civilisational collapse, epidemics like the Black Death and the Spanish Flu that reduce a city’s population by fifty percent. And yet, despite enormous destruction and very real tragedy, these catastrophes all share one common denominator: we survived.

In APOCALYPSE, Lizzie Wade reframes the story of human history to show how we can learn from these apocalyptic moments, seeing them not just as violent, world-ending events but as moments of progress and transformation. We travel back in deep time to when homo sapiens replaced other human species including the Neanderthals, witness the fall of the kingdom of Old Egypt, the end of the Mayans and the Black Death, as well as lesser-known catastrophes. To weave this unique narrative, Lizzie introduces us to a new generation of archaeologists using cutting-edge technology to tell new stories about our deep past, including flying planes equipped with lasers over Mayan ruins deep in the jungle, scuba diving to the bottom of the ocean, and sequencing the DNA of ancient people to show how we are far more connected to our ancestors than we think.

Written in a gripping style that reads like an Indiana Jones mystery, APOCALYPSE offers a refreshingly optimistic take on the crises our own generation and those after us will face – arguing that yes, catastrophes are painful and destructive, but we can and will survive them.

'Lizzie Wade is an exceptional journalist and a master storyteller. In Apocalypse, she peels back the many myths of the present to reveal the true stories of past apocalypses and, perhaps more important, what happened afterward. She reminds us that survival always has been, and still is, possible.'

Ed Yong, author of An Immense World

‘A timely examination of catastrophes that humanity has faced through history. There are lessons, warnings and solace to be drawn from this deep time perspective on the existential challenges facing us today.’

Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors: The Prehistory of Britain in Seven Burials

'This book upended my understanding of the ancient world. Wade renders our deep past in vivid prose, showing us that times of great rupture also bring great possibilities for new ways of living, if we let them. Apocalypse is the best kind of history book: vibrant and vital.'

Zoë Schlanger, author of The Light Eaters

‘A fascinating dive into the tragedies — and comebacks — of those that came before us. Lizzie Wade combines detailed research with clear writing to bring these historical events to life — they’re stories that will stick with me for a long time.'

Hannah Ritchie, author of Not the End of the World

‘Lizzie Wade’s vivid descriptions bring the latest archaeological research to life in this fascinating and timely book. Despite its sobering subject matter, Apocalypse is ultimately an inspiring read, revealing how lessons from past crises can help us survive the looming apocalypse, which is likely to be the greatest challenge our species has ever encountered.’

Jonathan Kennedy, author of Pathogenesis

Lizzie Wade is a science journalist based in Mexico City who has written about archaeology and anthropology for Science, The Atlantic, Slate, The New York Times, Aeon and others. Apocalypse is her first book.

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