“The Anthropocene Reviewed” is a series of essays where John Green discusses, and ultimately reviews, various items and phenomenon that make up our current geological age, the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene is all about how humans have shaped the world and its biodiversity by our influence and mere existence. What I enjoyed about Green’s reviews is that while he clearly takes humanity’s effect on the planet serious, his essays are not doom-and-gloom serious. He is addressing common, often universally experienced phenomenon (such as Canada Geese and the QWERTY keyboard) in a thoughtful yet lighthearted way. His essays diverge at times in ways that make you think “where is this going and how did I get here from where we just were?” but it always comes back together. I enjoyed Green’s humor and insight, learned a few things, and appreciated the opportunity to consider some aspects of everyday life I’d never really thought about before.
Three words that describe this book: Intelligent, challenging, informative
You might want to pick this book up if: You might, as I did, pick this book up if you are a fan of John Green’s other works. If you like his writing and are interested in the human behind the YA stories, you will be rewarded for your time — you will learn both about the world around you, how Green sees it, and more about the author himself. If you are hoping for another witty set of teenagers facing the challenges of youth, you will be disappointed.
-Sarah
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2021. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
