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COPYRIGHT 2008 American Library Association
From Booklist's Top of the List to Oprah's Book Club, Cormac McCarthys stunning work of speculative fiction, The Road, has won honors and acclaim. But despite the breathtaking originality of McCarthy's particular vision, the idea of the end of the world is hardly new. In fact, as we revisit the apocalyptic fiction that paved the way for this modern classic, we find that, for writers, the end of the world is practically an annual occurrence.
The Bible. King James Version. 1611.
Whatever your religious beliefs, the Bible is the book that's had the greatest influence on Western literature. And the book of Revelation has apocalypse to spare. Despite the harrowing imagery and strange symbolism, the essential message to the faithful is to be steadfast and endure through all travails--not so different, when you think about it, from the message of The Road.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Earth Abides. By George R. Stewart. 1949. Del...
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