Reviews

Waste by Brian Thill

hwillustrator's review

4.0

Concise and thought-provoking. Going far beyond what you find in typical 'green' books, Thill examines physical and digital waste not only in relation to the natural world, but in relation to our humanity, too. Although at times existentially horrifying (specifically the futile attempts to warn future generations of our nuclear waste), Thill unravels the complex emotions surrounding waste and our arbitrary categorizations of it without resorting to despair. This is helped massively by his compelling and lyrical writing, which was a joy to read - I wish all non-fiction read like poetry!

galateadoesbooks's review

3.0

A pleasant, meandering view towards what waste is and what waste means for us.

Started off strong but turned rather slow and meandering in the second half, I would've preferred more of an exploration on waste as being a tag we put on objects that we lack desire towards.

bibliocyclist's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

What is the difference between “American Pickers” and “Hoarders”?  Has tabflab buildup got you down?  Is there no human-made object so ambient as waste?  If you’ve crunched the numbers and determined that “waste is every object, plus time” or that “we have one message to give the future, and that message is Death,”  become an honorary member of the Friends of the Pleistocene and read Waste by Brian Thill.  As certain as taxes and the end of life, “debris happens, and deadlines remain.”  Before your time runs out, delve into this slim volume that belies a work that is as dense as a contemporary urban landfill and equally revealing. 

voraciousreader's review against another edition

4.0

Another good book from this series about everyday things (including those that we sometimes take for granted) like the subject of this title.