For anyone who has read Young Adult books in the 21st century, the name John Green is synonymous with the genre. His most famous book is, of course, The Fault In Our Stars (also the book that both got me back into reading for pleasure post-university, and the book that brought me into Young Adult books). But he’s also written a whole raft of other books that have been very successful – Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and Turtles All the Way Down, to name a few. He has also shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel vlogbrothers that he runs with his brother, Hank (also an author). He has talked openly about his struggles with mental health issues and just seems like an overall great guy. So when this book, his first foray into non-fiction and personal essays, was announced, I was immediately interested in spending some time with the man behind all these cultural touchpoints.
I didn’t really know what I was getting into with this book, so let me try to explain. Let’s start with the title. The anthropocene is, according to the National Geographic definition, “[the] period of time during which human activities have impacted the environment enough to constitute a distinct geological change.” In this book, Green sets about using a five-star review system to rate various things found in the anthropocene. This includes everything from penguins to Halley’s comet to scratch-and-sniff stickers.
As with any book of this type, there were topics I found more interesting than others. But I have to say that, writing this review a few months out from reading the book, I don’t really have vivid images of any of them. I actually remember the introduction he wrote more than any of the reviews. I guess maybe the introduction is the book I wanted to read – he shares a bit of his life, what it’s been like for him during the COVID-19 pandemic and how he’s been dealing with its impact on his mental health. That, I was all in for.
The rest of the book… well, it was certainly unique. It was something I’d never come across before, and it did seem very, well, John Green. So I enjoyed it for that. I liked seeing which things he chose to review, and I enjoyed some of his thoughts about them. It wasn’t hard to read and, particularly on audio, I was able to get through it quickly. I will probably dip in and out of it again in the future. So for that I’d recommend it. Did it alter my view of the world? Impact me on a deep emotional level? Leave me feeling like this was the best book I’d read in ages? No. But that’s okay. It didn’t have to be. I think anyone who is a fan of John Green’s work will find enough about him in here that it will be worth spending some time on – I just wouldn’t recommend this as a starting point for his work!
A deeply moving and mind-expanding collection of personal essays in the first ever work of non-fiction from #1 internationally bestselling author John Green
The Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his ground-breaking, critically acclaimed podcast, John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet – from the QWERTY keyboard and Halley’s Comet to Penguins of Madagascar – on a five-star scale.
Complex and rich with detail, the Anthropocene’s reviews have been praised as ‘observations that double as exercises in memoiristic empathy’, with over 10 million lifetime downloads. John Green’s gift for storytelling shines throughout this artfully curated collection about the shared human experience; it includes beloved essays along with six all-new pieces exclusive to the book. – Goodreads
Book Title: The Anthropocene Reviewed
Author: John Green
Series: No
Edition: Hardback/Audiobook
Published By: Dutton
Released: May 18, 2021
Genre: Non-Fiction, Personal Opinion, Essays
Pages: 293
Date Read: November 13-16, 2021
Rating: 6/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.42/5 (50,132 ratings)
I loved this book and the way Green wrapped all the reviews together at the end. So talented.
I have to admit that it’s kind of faded a bit in my memory. I need to read it again I think! I liked the idea, and I liked hearing Green’s thoughts as I’ve enjoyed some of his writing and he seems like an interesting person! Weirdly the scratch and sniff stickers bit stuck with me the most!