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A Graphic Exploration of How to (Maybe) Avoid Extinction
by Katy Doughty
In a full-color debut, a graphic novelist takes an engrossing, gleefully existential deep dive into the many ways that humanity could—and almost did—meet its end.
Since 99.9 percent of all species that have lived are extinct, it's bound to be our turn eventually, right? So what's most likely to kill us? A well-timed asteroid? Some new robot overlords? With wit and dry humor, debut graphic novelist Katy Doughty blends science and history to explore our chances of surviving disasters such as plagues, global warming, and alien invasion. Drawing on interviews with experts in fields like infectious diseases, AI, and interplanetary exploration, she combines cutting-edge research with compelling visuals: mugshots of the deadliest microbes, graphs of the winners and losers of mass extinction events, and a whole lot of dinosaur drawings. For apocalypse aficionados, the morbidly curious, and the just plain curious, this is your antidote to existential dread—a timely, imaginative, and ultimately hopeful take on humankind's ability to survive the odds.
"The author has distilled an impressive amount of research into a lucid, matter-of-fact narrative—and counterintuitive though it may seem, there's a pervasive optimism running through the doom and gloom, a conviction that no matter what goes down, humanity is special enough that something of us will survive. The attractive illustrations in highly saturated colors illuminate the content through both imaginative whimsy and helpful diagrams. Brilliant; at once terrifying and fascinating." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"For such a dire topic, the tone is engaging and hardly doom-and-gloom, blending a huge variety of topics with a charming gallows humor...The end won't be pretty, but Doughty makes it pretty darn amusing." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
"Historical evidence as well as contemporary scientific and cultural expertise propel Doughty's thoroughly researched nonfiction graphic novel...Visual humor provides levity throughout fact-heavy infographic-style spreads and somber recreations of tragic events, while a recurring river motif suggests hope and optimism for the future." —Publishers Weekly
"The characters are well developed and relatable. Select chapters include beautiful illustrations from Rioux...With mystery, and adventure, this historical fiction is an easy sell for a wide range of readers." —School Library Journal
"Doughty's full-length comic debut is one for the ages—literally...Sure to appeal to science enthusiasts, this comic will please fans of fun-loving adventure sci-fi well (think David Tennant–era Doctor Who)."—Booklist
"Historical evidence as well as contemporary scientific and cultural expertise propel Doughty's thoroughly researched nonfiction graphic novel...Visual humor provides levity throughout fact-heavy infographic-style spreads and somber recreations of tragic events, while a recurring river motif suggests hope and optimism for the future." —Publishers Weekly
"This book bursts with equal measures of catastrophe and hope, of wisdom and humor. Will become a prized resource for a young generation inheriting a planet on the brink." —Eliot Schrefer, two-time National Book Award Finalist and New York Times bestselling author
"I have never felt so satisfied and well-informed while contemplating my own demise." —Ben Orlin, best-selling author of Math with Bad Drawings
This information about How to Survive the End of the World was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Katy Doughty is a California-born, Texas-bred, New England–educated designer and illustrator who holds a BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MPH from Boston University's School of Public Health. Her unique interdisciplinary background fuels her interest in the intersection of visual communication, research, and healthcare. She lives in Boston with her husband.
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