Lawrence E. Joseph

Sam gave me this in 2010/2011 ... sometime well before 2012. But I wanted to watch the film 2012 before reading this book, since the book told me there was some sort of connection. So I finally got around to watching the film (ridiculous) and then started this book at the beginning of 2012, because I knew if I didn't finish it, then it all could be over before I read it. So I read it - and it was quite depressing. Interesting for sure, but it made me pretty sad about humanity. But a lot of intriguing stuff about how humans used to live compared to how we live now.… (mais)

The book in an on itself was ok, if you're into that kind of stuff. I'm a bit of a sucker for prophecies and end of the world, so I was eager to read a book about it.
It was dubbed as "An investigation into civilization's end" ("a study" in my translated copy to Spanish), and it made me feel a bit mislead when I started reading and I found that more than a study or investigation, it was a journal of trips with scientific bits and musings thrown in about 2012.

Ok?

This book was too personal about the guy's life for me to enjoy fully.

If I wanted to read about the author's life, I'd find his biography/credentials/blog. No offense, I just like my scientific books to be scientific, that's all.
The scientific parts, citations and theories I enjoyed plenty, but the book itself I felt was boring and dragged on boring topics- like a cab driver's praying or how the author wanted to write an autobiography; personally, I think he just wrote part of it on the book.

I say if you like scientific books about 2012, or at least more "serious" ones, avoid this one.
If you don't care (or rather, prefer) reading more about the author and his opinions than about 2012 itself, then you'll love it.… (mais)

The book in an on itself was ok, if you're into that kind of stuff. I'm a bit of a sucker for prophecies and end of the world, so I was eager to read a book about it.
It was dubbed as "An investigation into civilization's end" ("a study" in my translated copy to Spanish), and it made me feel a bit mislead when I started reading and I found that more than a study or investigation, it was a journal of trips with scientific bits and musings thrown in about 2012.

Ok?

This book was too personal about the guy's life for me to enjoy fully.

If I wanted to read about the author's life, I'd find his biography/credentials/blog. No offense, I just like my scientific books to be scientific, that's all.
The scientific parts, citations and theories I enjoyed plenty, but the book itself I felt was boring and dragged on boring topics- like a cab driver's praying or how the author wanted to write an autobiography; personally, I think he just wrote part of it on the book.

I say if you like scientific books about 2012, or at least more "serious" ones, avoid this one.
If you don't care (or rather, prefer) reading more about the author and his opinions than about 2012 itself, then you'll love it.… (mais)

I love a good conspiracy. I don't believe them all, so I probably couldn't be labeled a conspiracy nut, but if there is strong evidence favoring one, I'll let my logical mind pick it apart and try to find some truth. Enter the prophecies concerning December 21, 2012: a multi-faceted prediction in Mayan culture and repeated in several other cultures throughout the earth dating back many centuries that the earth would experience some great change on this date. With only four years remaining, I decided it was time to see what humanity might have coming.
There are many books on the subject, but I selected Joseph's because it seemed the least likely to jump into a metaphysical journey of repentance. It was subtitled as being "a scientific investigation," after all. Unfortunately for Joseph, you cannot really present a "scientific" argument for prophecies concerning the future and this claim has upset many in the science community, but at least an attempt to use scientific data was made.
The blurb for Apocalypse 2012 will lead you to believe that Joseph effectively uses humor to counter his doomsday message. Don't be mistaken. There is absolutely nothing funny about this book. Most of the scenarios the author presents as likely fulfillment of the 2012 prediction parallel McCarthy's The Road—a million laughs a minute. Don't be dismayed, however, as many of these possible scenarios seem an attempt to stretch the truth and the book's length to a bestseller.
Unfortunately, not all seem outside of the realm of possibility. Especially in regards to astronomical causes, there are many eery "coincidental" phenomenon expected to happen late in 2012, some having been pinpointed to happen exactly on 12/21/12. Joseph does a descent job of illustrating these, but having focused so much on the unlikely events (e.g. a terrorist group setting a bomb under Yellowstone, for example) takes away from the good points he does have.
Apocalypse 2012 is a good primer for the prophecy of December twenty-first. He explains the prediction itself and many interpretations of it. He even talks to living descendants of the Mayans to find out their views on the subject. All in all, Joseph has written probably one of the most believable and mainstream books concerning 2012. Regrettably, if something does go down in 2012, this book is probably not convincing enough to make anyone run for the hills.

Review from The Literary Snob… (mais)