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A review by mrsthrift
Waiting for the End of the World by Richard Koss
4.0
This book is a series of photographs of shelters from around the world, with a little bit of writing and introduction of each shelter. These people are ready for bombs, chemicals and nuclear blasts. There is also a delightful interview with the author by Sarah Vowell. My favorite quote from the interview was, "I think if there were a real nuclear exchange, the survivors would be Bush, Cheney, some Israelis, the Swiss, the Mormons, and assorted insects - a curious mixture." And Sarah Vowell talks about being more afraid of living to see the end times than dying in the end times. SV and the author also touch on like, bigger philosophical questions like what does it mean to spend your life preparing for the end of the world and what role does the end of the world play in various cultures, etc. but it's not a Big Philosophical Book. it's a photography book. and I learned about Swiss apocalypse preparedness! Which makes me want to be Swiss! Well, kind of. For the end of the world, at least.
My favorite page is 119, "Public Shelters, near Zurich, Switzerland, 2003." The government mandates the size and shape and construction material of the public shelters, but they can be customized by painting the doors different colors. The photo shows 4 giant gaping doors painted bright shades of green, pink, etc. It is like, perfect and beautiful. Their post-apocalypse will be technicolor.
Anyway, the book could be bigger. I say this every time I "read" a book that's mostly pictures, but the photos could be bigger. It could be a giant, glossy coffee table book, and I would love that. But the photographs are well-lit and well-printed. The subject matter is fascinating, and the writing is calm and authoritative enough to reassure you about the end of the world.
My favorite page is 119, "Public Shelters, near Zurich, Switzerland, 2003." The government mandates the size and shape and construction material of the public shelters, but they can be customized by painting the doors different colors. The photo shows 4 giant gaping doors painted bright shades of green, pink, etc. It is like, perfect and beautiful. Their post-apocalypse will be technicolor.
Anyway, the book could be bigger. I say this every time I "read" a book that's mostly pictures, but the photos could be bigger. It could be a giant, glossy coffee table book, and I would love that. But the photographs are well-lit and well-printed. The subject matter is fascinating, and the writing is calm and authoritative enough to reassure you about the end of the world.