-"The apocalypse, Sacramento State history professor Williamson informs us, is not just a "creed for cranks." In his inimitable style, he weaves the phenomenon of end-times theology into the tapestry of modern history to demonstrate there's more to the apocalypse than fire and brimstone. The way our ancestors thought about "apocalypse then" has profoundly affected out lives today, often in ways we'd never suspect." —Sacramento News & Review

-"Seeking 'to understand the foundations of modernity,' Williamson (California State Univ., Sacramento) focuses on profound shifts in attitude toward time and nature effected by Protestant apocalypticism. . . . Recommended. Undergraduate and general collections." —CHOICE

-"This work is a tour de force, a clear testimony to the author's amazing range of interests and the depth of his research. It is a welcome, unique contribution to the puzzle of the relationship between apocalypse and history, modes of persuasion and modes of conduct. The book clearly succeeds in demonstrating the central role of ideological, apocalyptic considerations in the history of early modernity. Scholars and students alike will greatly benefit from the discussion and analysis of Williamson's most valuable work." —American Historical Review