Rating: 
Summary: Some interesting anecdotes
Review: In good workmanlike prose, and showing a great deal of sympathy for his subjects, Heard tells us the stories of a number of people who believe odd things. Roughly eight different kinds of odd things, only very loosely held together by the theme of "Apocalypse"."Apocalypse" is an ambiguous word, and the selection of odd beliefs in "Apocalypse Pretty Soon" plays on that ambiguity. There's no obvious tie between the folks who believe that Aliens will soon descend to Earth and give us enlightenment and cool technology, the supplement-megadose folks who believe that with the right pills they can live a real long time, and the Out of Body Experience folks who believe in astral travel. Heard gives us a few insights into (or guesses about) their characters that suggest some reasons people might believe these odd things, but he draws no general lessons and comes to no general conclusion. It's an easy and enjoyable read, about some interesting people. It doesn't go beyond the anecdotes, and for that reason left me somewhat unsatisfied, but it's by no means a bad book.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable and informative book
Review: Informative, thorough journalism on selected subjects with an amiable, conversational, sincere,sometimes humorous, good-natured style. I learned a lot about different ideas and beliefs ranging from Greer's UFO search, to the hunt for the red heifer needed for the coming of the Third Temple, the independence desired by a Texas militia group, the Unarians' UFO beliefs, OBE's, to life extension advocacy and more -- with the darker, sunnier, sometimes oddball, and occasionally inspiring sides of each discussed. I'm glad I found this book. It does not purport to exhaust the subject of "millennialism," just to report what Heard found while interviewing subjects who sparked his interest in the broad areas of utopian thought, new age paranormal ideas, life extension, religious-based pre-millenial ideas, and other beliefs and ideas he encountered as this century closes. Topics encountered on this voyage even include the occult and telepathy.
Rating:
Summary: Ouch. This hurts
Review: One of my fellow reviewers below blasts Heard for getting a little too personal about a "New Age" group in his first chapter, apparently believing his criticism to be petty revenge. For the record, the subject of the first chapter, "Welcome, Space Brothers" is about Unarius, a group that believes a race of benevolent aliens will come save us all with their space-technology, and who spend their free time "remembering" the horrible things they did during their previous lives in Atlantis in order to explain their shortcomings (and, as they are all apparently addicts and mental patients, there are many of them) during this life. Just for the record... What really, REALLY hurts about this book is that I have been involved in most of these groups. Michael Savage, the life extension people, the Futurists, the astral projection guys... So while I'm reading Heard's cutting commentary, I'm remembering all the reasons I eventually fell away from all that, and realizing for the first time what a [fool] I was. Oh well. The New Age was more fun than Christianity, that's for certain. Heard presents most of his subjects in as totally an objective manner as is possible, which is not very. He seems genuinely taken with many of the lovable/frightening people he meets, almost convinced by some of them, such as with Chet Fleming, the guy who patented a method to keep a severed human head alive. In the final chapter, "Take me home, Mr. Wiggles", Heard obviously WANTS to believe astral projection is possible, especially after discovering that his wife is a closet fan. You get the sense that Heard wants to believe a lot of this; wants to believe that we can live forever, wants to believe that artificial island nations are possible. Live in a rather flat, dull culture as we do, it's almost essential to believe that the fantastic exists. This is a collection of dreams, pursued by fascinatingly obsessed people regardless of, you know, reality. Reading, I wanted to believe, once more, that such things were possible. Heck, who knows? The world ain't over yet... not until they get the red cow bred specially for Judgement Day to Israel, at the very least.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing millennial account with a sense of humor
Review: Superb work. Heard has captured the essence of millennialism. Using his own storied career as a backdrop, the author reveals his travels and his perceptions of those who endeavor to overcome the inevitable in the apocalypse. The story also reflects his genuine concern for humanity and his respect for phenomena not explained by the usual scientific method. Heard's pervading sense of humor amiably enlightens the reader.
Rating:
Summary: The (funny) End of the World as we Know it
Review: The book's cover got my attention, and Heard's wit and insight kept me going until THE END. It's funny, sarcastic - and maybe just a little scary. A great read!
Rating:
Summary: An instant classic
Review: This excellent tome instantly reminded me of Tom Wolfe's classic look at 60s America, "Kandy-Colored Tangerine Flake Streamlined Baby". Heard's top-drawer journalism and his incisive insight and wit will memorialize millennial America in the Wolfian fashion -- American Studies Programs will be teaching Apocalypse Pretty Soon 25 years from now!
Rating:
Summary: Just excellent! I couldn't put it down.
Review: This is one of those books you'll want to tell others about. (In fact, I've already bought an additional copy for a friend.) The author has spent an impressive amount of time interviewing the book's subjects, and the depth of his commitment and research is evident in the finished product. If you find human nature fascinating, if you're interested in a look at some of the groups and individuals (many with an astonishing following) who operate on the fringe of mainstream society, AND if you enjoy good writing with a healthy dose of wit...buy this book! Another thing that really impressed me is Heard's ability to relate his interactions and conversations with the people he tells us about in a personal way, but without letting himself become the focus of the stories. Extremely well-done, informative and entertaining; I will read this book more than once!
Rating:
Summary: Things More Frightening Than The Apocalypse...
Review: What's more frightening than the idea of an apocalypse? How 'bout all the people out there with so many freaky ideas of how and when it will come... From a psychological standpoint, this book is absolutely fascinating, darkly humorous, and yet undeniably frightening in its portrayal of people who might be neighbors or cousins of yours and mine who await an alien takeover or the return of Christ or what have you and the extent to which these hopes or fears have affected their lives and the lives of those they know and love. Obviously, the author has focused on one particular quirk of the various lives his subjects lead, and yet what is magnified for the reader are some of the most thought-provoking and bizarre ideas and behaviors I have ever encountered in print outside of an issue of Psychology Today. A book that can be aborbed and pondered by anyone with common sense and the ability to seperate reality from fantasy, I would avoid letting this fall into the hands of impressionable or highly imaginative young readers who might become fixated on some particular section and grow fearful because of it. Disturbing in both an entertaining and harrowing way, I couldn't put it down and hope for some sort of a sequel. Amazing.
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