Notes From an Apocalypse

To be published in April. I picked up this proof copy on a whim in New York, and it made for fascinating reading, all the more so in the context of my last read (Houellebecq's concerns about the modern world) and given the spread of coronavirus at present too. O'Connell is an Irish-based academic with one work already to his name. Notes begins with the birth of his first child; for sure natural excitement, but also guilt (more scarce resources on the planet being used to feed another mouth; what world will my child have to live in?). O'Connell uses the work as a medium not only for his personal metaphysical concerns, but also to explore how different communities around the world are variously planning for the future. Ignorance and selfishness seem to be prime motivational factors in many instances. Moreover, the term apocalypse is, per O'Connell, often used either excessively or incorrectly. It is fair to consider whether in an apocalypse might one want to be a survivor? O'Connell writes with humor, insight, and self-deprecation, even if his visits to his psychologist do become somewhat tiresome. The work does also hint at some scope for redemption, at least by its closure. Worth reading. N/R.

By Mark O'Connell