End-of-the-world 'theology' studied critically

Last week, my friend Lucia came again on her way back to Melbourne from London. This time she brought for me as a gift Jonathan Kirsch's book, A History of the End of the World (London, Harper Collins, 2006) which seems to be another thought-provoking (or even mind-blowing) book simply because it is recommended by Lucia whose deep knowledge of the Western world I really cannot dispute, published by Harper Collins and received some very positive reviews.

I am certainly interested in the origin and evolution of the idea of the end of the world because, since I was a primary school boy in Ipoh some thirty years ago, I have occasionally been coming into contacts with some kind-hearted men and women who warn me that the world would literally end 'tomorrow' or ' Tuesday next week' or 'Friday night the week after next'. Before Lucia left, I returned to her the copy of Red Star Over China which she left in my house last year and I also asked for her help to look out for me other good books that discourse the genesis and development of the belief or state of the mind that 'the world is humbuggery' (of course, with the exception of he or she who proclaims it) and its links to the idea of 'the end of the world'.

Surveying worldwide resurgence of religions