Publishers Weekly
01/28/2019
In this sprightly travelogue, journalist Krulos (Heroes in the Night) takes the reader inside the subculture of “doomsday preppers,” who spend their free time and money acquiring the skills and supplies that they anticipate they will need to survive “TEOTWAWKI”—the end of the world as we know it. While Krulos does not shy away from describing the strains of paranoia and political disaffection that have often characterized preppers in popular media, his broad-minded exploration tends to emphasize the diversity of motive and spirit among survival enthusiasts. Some really do believe that doomsday is impending, whether in the form of government conspiracy, global warming, aliens, divine apocalypse, or other catastrophic event. Others seem to be motivated mostly by the pleasure of self-reliance and the security of being prepared for unforeseen emergencies; the participants in Zombie Con and the Wasteland Weekend festival (“like a Mad Max-themed Ren faire”) clearly approach their prepper activities as a reason to exercise imagination and build community, and Krulos’s participant-observer adventures with these groups are some of the most engaging chapters of the book. Appendices offer information about the organizations mentioned, busted doomsday predictions, and recommended apocalypse fiction. This chatty, fast-paced volume will entertain those who enjoy reading about unusual subcultures. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"A wild journey that makes prepping for doomsday seem like a hell of a good time. Read this book if it’s the last thing you do!” —Joey Green, author of Last-Minute Survival Secrets
“This exceptional collection gives you access to an exclusive group of individuals that are normally hidden in plain sight or sealed behind two eight-ton armored steel doors. Apocalypse Any Day Now questions your own survival readiness when the lights go out. Will you be an overly prepared prepper or a short-lived scavenger?” —John Austin, author of So Now You’re a Zombie
“This chatty, fast-paced volume will entertain those who enjoy reading about unusual subcultures.”—Publishers Weekly
“'Apocalypse Any Day Now' is a fun and funny, but never mocking, dive into the bizarre world of doomsday preppers.” —Pop Mythology
Library Journal - Audio
08/01/2019
Some people become survivalists to stay alive after a nuclear disaster. Some people want to avoid government intervention in their lives. Some just want to survive a zombie apocalypse. Kurlos (Monster Hunters: On the Trail with Ghost Hunters, Bigfooters, Ufologists, and Other Paranormal Investigators) interviews these people and others to investigate the lifestyle of people preparing for the worst possible situations. Kurlos provides a historical overview to begin each major section. For example, when talking about religious predictions about the apocalypse, he covers movements in the last 150 years that had prognosticated specific dates when the end of times would occur. Naturally, none of these dates proved to be accurate. Some survivalists are politically motivated, including many groups created during the Obama administration as well as more liberal homesteaders who started their endeavors during the Trump presidency to help alleviate the climate crisis. One of the most entertaining parts of the audiobook is Krulos's visit to ZombieCon, a camping trip in the Missouri woods that involves watching horror movies and drinking homemade beer. Narrator Eric Michael Summerer reads in a personable manner that brings the listener into the topics. VERDICT A worthwhile audiobook for fans of the paranormal and those with an interest in homesteading or the prepper lifestyle.—Jason L. Steagall, formerly with Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI
MAY 2019 - AudioFile
Narrator Eric Michael Summerer deftly introduces the author as he investigates the thoughts of those predicting and preparing for turbulent times—terrorism, natural disasters, the end of the world. Summerer’s Krulos is a first-rate interviewer who draws out even the most secretive individual. His appealing voice is realistic and respectful of each interviewee. Krulos visits conventions, apocalypse “reenactments,” and the convincing people selling survival items. Scientists who explain why climate change is a monumental problem are the most disturbing. Listeners will meet the Zombie Squad, who mix hobbies with charitable works, and visit “survival condos” for the ultrarich, who are amusing but deadly serious. Nostalgic references to early L. Ron Hubbard and Jeane Dixon add history. Despite the subject, Krulos finds some optimism for the future. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
