So, I’m a geek. (This isn’t news.) But because I’m geeky and would be a professional student if I could get paid for it, it’s no surprise that I like to read up on things. Partly so I have more useless trivia to spout during really awkward dinners with my in-laws, but partly so I’m prepared for all sorts of random things.
With this in mind, I need to build my apocalypse library. I don’t have many books yet. I mean, yeah, I have the Hunger Games trilogy. I also have Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson (which I’m currently reading). I also have The Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse by Jason Boyett.
Other than that, I haven’t read anything else. But I do need to be (more) prepared, if only to lessen my screaming and running around in circles when the apocalypse does hit. (Or, at least, I need to pretend I’m prepared.)
So, with that in mind, I need some recommendations. What, in your opinion, is important pre-apocalypse reading? I’m open to fiction and non-fiction recommendations. After all, I need to be prepared for different apocalyptic scenarios. I mean, we don’t know for sure it’s going to be a robot apocalypse.
So? Thoughts? I need to build my pre-apocalypse apocalyptic library.
I have Food for Free, a book of common herbs and their medical properties, and I’m soon going to pick up books on making cheeses/jams/prserves/drying meats…
Those are just the practical books.
As for Fiction I strongly suggest The Metrozone Trilogy by Simon Morden. Brilliant post-apocalypse reading. I’m currently reading Echo City by Tim Lebbon which seems to be set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy verse, so try that too.
World War Z (fiction) was great–lots of tips/tricks to survive a zombie apocolypse. I need to read more about fighting zombies, but it’s too scary so I haven’t gotten around to it.
To prepare for any apocolypse, we’ll all need to know how to farm, make clean water, basic electrical wiring, etc. Look for books on those subjects, and start practicing now.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy should help you feel a bit more calm and accepting of your fate. You’ll be able to see the humor in scary things and realize your priory shouldn’t be running around in circles screaming. (Also, never forget your towel)
http://hesperian.org/publications_download.php — Free downloads of, among other things, the books Where There Is No Doctor and Where there is no Dentist.
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. It’s the best fictional survival guide out there – a post apocalyptic Bible. I’d also recommend something like Lord of the Flies to get an idea of how society tends to breakdown too.
The Postman by David Brin. Forget the horrible Costner film, the book is a study of American society after the collapse of American society… 😉 And it’s an excellent story too, from one of my favourite authors.
The Reapers are the Angels, by Alden Bell. Bleak post-apocalypse with zombie-esques.
I’ve only read the first of the Simon Morden trilogy (so far), but I definitely second that.
And The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Really bleak. Good book even if I think it should have ended a few paragraphs earlier than it does… 😉
Eep. I apologize for not replying earlier. I’ve been fighting bugs all week (the virus kind and the creepy crawly kind).
Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. I’ll be sure to check them out. (My TBR pile has just grown…)
This may be a bit far fetched, but I would recommend ‘Voyage to the end of the night’, written by Louis-Ferdinand Céline. There’s nothing really helpfull in there, but once you’ve read it you’ll be a lot more able to shoot somebody without much regret. It’s one of those books that changes your outlook on mankind, a bit like Houellebecq does. (If you haven’r read the last one, please do)
I’ll have to look this up. Thanks!
look up permaculture, it teaches you how to recognized ALL and ANY resources in your environment. pretty fundamental stuff. also discovery channel did a really cool filmed experiment about the apocalypse called” the Colony” take a look. I will say this, a group of people who understand permaculture would have restored a livable system for all the survivors in the city within a few days.
Why don’t we find pre apocalyptic ways of survival that negate and minimize the processes of ineveitable destructions. that way we won’t have to endure horrors, because we will all know how to read the environment through our observations and respond appropriately.