Apocalypse in the British countryside | with Leena Norms

Apocalyptic fiction often heads for the ruins of great cities, but some of the most unsettling stories imagine the end of the world closer to home. In this episode, the discussion turns to apocalyptic and dystopian novels set in the British countryside, with a particular focus on John Wyndham’s The Day of the Triffids. Expect moderate spoilers for The Day of the Triffids only. ## Books mentioned - The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham - How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff - Resistance by Owen Sheers - Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell - Dracula by Bram Stoker - The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells - The Beach by Alex Garland - The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard - The Death of Grass by John Christopher - Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit - The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros - The Children of Men by P.D. James - The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood - Feral by George Monbiot - Salt Lick by Lulu Allison - The High House by Jessie Greengrass - The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham ## Why the British countryside suits an apocalypse There is something especially chilling about disaster unfolding in familiar landscapes: quiet villages, hedgerows, farmland and coastlines. British apocalyptic fiction tends to trade the spectacle of crumbling skyscrapers for a subtler kind of dread. The end of the world arrives in places that feel safe, which makes the collapse all the more unsettling. The Day of the Triffids is a strong example. Wyndham’s novel combines a catastrophic event that leaves most of the population blind with the slow, creeping threat of the triffids themselves. It is a very English apocalypse: resourceful survivors, improvised communities and a constant tension between cooperation and self-interest. ## Further listening - Jean’s Thoughts on YouTube - Leena Norms on YouTube - Leena’s poetry collection, Bargain Bin Romcom - Leena’s podcast, No Books on a Dead Planet - A guest episode on Leena’s podcast discussing The Water Will Come