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norasteinkopf's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Another one in a line of wonderful books by my favourite author Rebecca Solnit. You could pluck almost any sentence or paragraph from this book and I would gladly display them in my home or on my person.
stereograph's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
betherinharrison's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
mads_jpg's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Rebecca Solnit may be my favourite author now. Even in a book with chapters that don't always make sense to me, I can't rate it any lower than 5 stars. Her way with words is just incredible, and I think this book came to me at the perfect time. It's pulled me out of both a reading rut and a tough time. <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, and Dementia
Moderate: Excrement, Mental illness, Drug use, Chronic illness, Classism, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Death, Cancer, Cannibalism, Grief, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Drug abuse
Minor: Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Death of parent, and Murder
annamickreads's review against another edition
5.0
"Like many others who turned into writers, I disappeared into books when I was very young, disappeared into them like someone running into the woods."
There are so many beautiful things about this series of essays it's hard to know where to begin. Solnit creates seemingly impossible parallels in theme across history and pop culture (including her own) to emphasize her points, and not only are they well articulated but I never failed to learn something about storytelling. Stories of her personal life are interwoven with brief history lessons and legends that show how cyclical humanity is, in the best way.
The bottom of every page has its own separate story that can be read cohesively, almost in the vein of "House of Leaves" but significantly less horrifying. This unique form of storytelling was not only compelling but made me work to keep up with both the essays and what was happening on the bottom of the page.
In short, there's so much to gain from Rebecca Solnit's words and to more deeply understand why we tell stories.
There are so many beautiful things about this series of essays it's hard to know where to begin. Solnit creates seemingly impossible parallels in theme across history and pop culture (including her own) to emphasize her points, and not only are they well articulated but I never failed to learn something about storytelling. Stories of her personal life are interwoven with brief history lessons and legends that show how cyclical humanity is, in the best way.
The bottom of every page has its own separate story that can be read cohesively, almost in the vein of "House of Leaves" but significantly less horrifying. This unique form of storytelling was not only compelling but made me work to keep up with both the essays and what was happening on the bottom of the page.
In short, there's so much to gain from Rebecca Solnit's words and to more deeply understand why we tell stories.
angelamichelle's review against another edition
4.0
Okay first, the structure: There’s a parallel essay running through the whole book. Literally. One line of text along the bottom of each page from beginning to end. The chapters themselves are a chiasmus. For the first and last chapters are both called “Apricots.” The same themes, factoids, stories, and anecdotes pop up repeatedly, in somewhat different lights, as part of ongoing musings about memory, story, truth, progress, perspective. It’s a memoir, sort of. More essays relating to what could have been a memoir.
I admire this book, and Solnit. Such a deep thinker with such a range of sources. But I’m a narrative girl and by the end of the book my attention flagged during the endless loops and detours.
I admire this book, and Solnit. Such a deep thinker with such a range of sources. But I’m a narrative girl and by the end of the book my attention flagged during the endless loops and detours.
caropullen's review against another edition
5.0
How can a book feel so meticulously crafted and at the same time so completely organic?
Beautiful, poetic, memorable.
Beautiful, poetic, memorable.
kokomoloko's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5