'Superb ... entertaining ... Phillips traverses this sprawling terrain with energy and charm' Telegraph

'Exceptionally funny from cover to cover, it is not only an entertaining read but also deeply researched and thoughtful' Irish Independent

'Fans of Phillips's earlier books Humans and Truth will be pleased that the ex-BuzzFeed editor is on form, not letting the grimness of his subject spoil his gagsmithery' Guardian

'A great read ... [Phillips] fills his timeline of unfilled apocalypses with wry humour' New Scientist

Do you feel like we're living in the end times? Does it seem like everything is on fire? That one disaster follows another?

Here's some comforting news: you're not the first to feel that way. If there's one thing that people throughout history have agreed on, it's that the end of the world has always been very f*cking nigh.

This book is about the apocalypse, and the many ways we've incorrectly predicted that the world would end. From ancient times to the modern day, it's a tale of weird cults, failed prophets and bored suburbanites waiting for aliens to rescue them . . . plus one very unfortunate chicken.

But why are we obsessed with a prediction that hasn't ever come true? (. . .Yet). And after 3,000 years of getting it wrong, how can we learn to live in a world which feels like it could all burn down tomorrow?

Praise for the Brief History series:

'Uproarious . . . Abundant good humour' The Times

'Witty, entertaining and slightly distressing... You should probably read it' Sarah Knight, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck

'Brilliant. Utterly, utterly brilliant' Jeremy Clarkson

'Very funny' Mark Watson

'Both readable and entertaining' Telegraph