The Anthropocene Reviewed

 The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Greene

Ever wanted to give a Yelp review to some of the strange facets of modern life? John Greene did. And

because he's John Greene and has sold millions of copies of books, he got to do so in a book. Must be nice. 

Then again, it's pretty nice for readers too. In a collection of short essays, Greene tackles topics as diverse as Diet Dr. Pepper (4 stars) to Plague (1 star) to the weather phenomenon Wintry Mix (4 stars). But the book isn't really a review of life in the Anthropocene. Tucked into each essay, which is supposedly about the common human experience, are revealing tidbits about John Greene's personal journey through the Anthropocene. It's not about our lives -- it's about his life. Which is fine. Because I came away liking John Greene even more than I already did. Like the characters in his novels, Greene is quite vulnerable here. He talks about his social awkwardness, his bouts of depression, his family, his quirks. It is easy to look at a guy like Greene and feel nothing but envy. He's wealthy, beloved, celebrated. But he makes clear here that he's just a weirdo human trying to make sense of it all just like the rest of us. 

Bottom line -- this was a great read. There was some banality, sure, but also some very interesting stuff. I particularly liked the last essay, which was about a famous (but not to me) photo called Three Young Farmers on Their Way to a Dance, taken in pre-WW I Germany. In the essay, Greene riffs on the meaning of historical artifacts in our lives, and how they aren't so much a reminder of the past as a mirror of the present. 

There are some annoyances. He quotes people a lot. A LOT. We get it John: You are well read and there are people who put your ideas more eloquently than you can. And you are well read. But it's a minor annoyance. I give The Anthropocene Reviewed four-and-a-half stars.