Sunday, June 03, 2012

The End: 50 Apocalyptic Visions from Pop Culture that You Should Know About by Laura Barcella

What do 17 horror movies, 12 bone-chilling books, 4 creepy songs, 4 strange plays, 1 terrorizing radio broadcast, 5 sci-fi TV shows, 3 scary comic book series, and 4 frightening pieces of art have in common?

The end of the world.

In this book, Laura Barcella breaks down 50 of the world's most recognizable visions of the end times. For each vision there is a short summary, famous quotes, unforgettable moments, the impact the vision had on people, and a black and white photo. There is also a Reality Factor, which explains whether or not the vision could really happen or ever come true.

This is a stunningly well-put-together book. Laura Barcella adds her own funny captions to the pictures, and has an upbeat sort of vibe, which makes this book very amusing and easy to read. The only problem is that for some of the plays, movies, books, and comic book series the ending is clearly stated. The upside is that not every single one is spoiled. There are only a couple that are truly given away.

Laura Barcella has taken an impossible challenge and made it her own in a funny and laughable way. I will forever enjoy this book, as it is a welcome edition to anyone's library.

While this is an amazing book, there are quite a few pictures of bloody and gory scenes. There are multiple movies and books where people are killed in very vile ways. The aspects of the world ending are clearly present on every page of this book, so young or squeamish reader might want to steer clear.

Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Yucaipa, CA USA