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A review by noellegrace8
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I don't much like John Green's fiction. I don't actively DISlike it, but it always seems to be a bit too light on the plot and characterization end and too heavy handed on the philosophical end. They're fine if not a bit heady, but John Green was made for nonfiction. We love his Crash Courses, his YouTube videos, his real life advocacy, and his podcasts. And this is that. Even down to its cadence and organization, this is just John Green having a highly consumable conversation with the reader that also helps them feel more encouraged about this life, even despite the many moments that suggest we should be panicking, even despite the occasional, poorly-veiled social advocacy moments.. He delivers a peacful philosophy despite it all. This is officially a new favorite book of mine. I need to go get a physical copy now.
While I don't include audiobook performance in my star rating of a book itself, I have the unique experience here of being able to critique the same person twice. Because John Green is an incredibly gifted speaker, and because I believe that audiobooks voiced by the author themselves have the potential to be the best of their kind, there's nothing about this narration that didn't hit the mark. I give John Green reading his own book the Anthropocene Reviewed... 5 stars.
While I don't include audiobook performance in my star rating of a book itself, I have the unique experience here of being able to critique the same person twice. Because John Green is an incredibly gifted speaker, and because I believe that audiobooks voiced by the author themselves have the potential to be the best of their kind, there's nothing about this narration that didn't hit the mark. I give John Green reading his own book the Anthropocene Reviewed... 5 stars.
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Grief, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and War
While it is a generally mild book, The Anthropocene Reviewed is written during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdown, making loneliness and all things pandemic-related a recurring theme. Additionally, as John Green is diagnosed and medicated for his mental illnesses, being mentally unwell is also a theme.