A Brief History of the End of the F*cking World

The hilarious and fascinating new book from the international bestselling author of HUMANS

By: Tom Phillips

Narrated by: Tom Phillips

'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, and one disaster follows another?

Here's a small comfort: you're not the first to feel that way. If there's one thing that people throughout history have agreed on, it's that history wasn't going to be around for much longer.

This book is about the apocalypse, and how humans have always believed it to be very f*cking nigh. Across thousands of years, we'll meet weird cults, failed prophets and mass panics, holy warriors leading revolts in anticipation of the last days, and suburbanites waiting for aliens to rescue them from a doomed Earth. We'll journey back to the 'worst period to be alive', as the world reeled from a simultaneous pandemic and climate crisis. And we'll look to the future to ask the unnerving question: how might it all end?

But it's also a book about how we live in a world where catastrophe is always looming - whether it's a madman with a nuclear button or the slow burn of environmental collapse. Because when we talk about the end of the world, what we really mean is the end of our world. Our obsession with doomsday is really about change: our fear of it, and our desire for it, and how - ultimately - we can find hope in it.

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©2025 Tom Phillips

Critic reviews

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

[A] topically valuable corrective for those who think - what with Gaza, Ukraine, floods, firestorms and fools with their fingers on world-ending buttons - we are indeed in the end times and should descend into our silos or colonise Mars ... Fans of Phillips's earlier books Humans: A Brief History of How we F*cked It All Up and Truth: A Brief History of Total Bullsh*t will be pleased that the ex-BuzzFeed editor is on form, not letting the grimness of his subject spoil his gagsmithery.

A great read ... [Phillips] fills his timeline of unfulfilled apocalypses with wry humour and keeps the queue of plagues and judgements accessible.

Exceptionally funny from cover to cover, it is not only an entertaining read but also deeply researched and thoughtful [. . .] his research is meticulous, and he lays it out with precision [. . .] What sets Phillips apart from other historical writers is his ability to mix academic research with comedy. He never simply presents historical facts; he delivers them with wit, sarcasm and a deep understanding of human absurdity. His writing allows for the historical details to be engaging, and his voice shines through every word. (Ksenia Samotiy)

Incredibly Thorough and Captivating

One of the most thought provoking and creative books I have ever read/listened to in my life.

Great book

Educational, enlightening, and entertaining. Definitely looking forward to more. Tom Phillips is a good author and narrator. Well worth one credit

Thoroughly fun look as the end of the world

I have always enjoyed the author’s thoroughly humorous and entertaining takes on various subject matte. Having an interesting cults and doomsday scenarios, I found this book very good indeed!

Very interesting!

Narration was awesome! History of all the plans on how the world will end was interesting! And really appreciated the bits of sarcasm and humor.

well researched information

very good but Tom's narrative style is a bit depressing. it's not a funny book as advertised. it's serious and thought provoking.