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poetics's review against another edition
4.0
cole touches on a wide breadth of topics in this essay collection. from the personal to art, current cultural/socio-political events, traveling and photography; he really does have an essay for almost every topic you'd think a writer might write about. some essays were difficult for me only in that i had no reference point for what he was talking about (certain art or artists), but i still enjoyed his style of writing. cole writes in a way that is clear and easy to understand, while still leaving room for the reader to have even more questions, or the urge to seek out more information. he pulls you in to whatever is being discussed and you feel yourself becoming truly invested in the topic at hand. there were also plenty of bits that were profound in their subtly and straightforwardness. as cole said in his essay, "the white savior industrial complex", (and i'm paraphrasing) some things you need to speech about directly and plainly. call a spade, a spade as it were.
so, i will definitely be returning to this collection from time to time as there is something deeply comforting about some of his pieces, certainly the more personal ones.
so, i will definitely be returning to this collection from time to time as there is something deeply comforting about some of his pieces, certainly the more personal ones.
shirleenr's review against another edition
5.0
Nov 15 2017
tba
_____________
nov 9 2017
i am determined to finish this book by Dec. 31, 2017!! i abandoned it in 2016. the essays in the final third appeal to me much more strongly. or maybe i needes a rest from art and literary reviews one after another
thus far these politically edged essays hook me in, they are more streamlined. like Cole's night in NYC at 125th and ACP Blvd 7th Ave on Nov 4 2008 night Obama won the presidency. or reasons he sees Obama as a more representative of late 20 c immigrant story presidency than first African American . or Ebola, Nigerian government.
tba
_____________
nov 9 2017
i am determined to finish this book by Dec. 31, 2017!! i abandoned it in 2016. the essays in the final third appeal to me much more strongly. or maybe i needes a rest from art and literary reviews one after another
thus far these politically edged essays hook me in, they are more streamlined. like Cole's night in NYC at 125th and ACP Blvd 7th Ave on Nov 4 2008 night Obama won the presidency. or reasons he sees Obama as a more representative of late 20 c immigrant story presidency than first African American . or Ebola, Nigerian government.
luisaredford's review against another edition
5.0
I loved each and every essay in this Teju Cole's collection. Each meanders through his thoughts and life and each one has taught me something. I love creative narrative forms and these essays work in different ways to tell stories about life. It's wonderful.
groovybouvie's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely essays to just have with you when you need a moment to just let your mind wander and ponder.
laurelthebooks's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
The essays here varied wildly for me in terms of engagement - some I had to fight with my brain to engage (largely the photography ones since there were no visuals, but I did learn some interesting terminology) and others I could sink my teeth into (regardless of agreement with the conclusion or not). The topics ranged from art, photography, and travel to technology, racism, literature, foreign policy, and various social movements. The range contained within the pages impresses me, but it also means that the book is tricky to take as a whole.
There are individual essays in here that I think could appeal to almost any reader, but unless you are a huge fan of Cole himself, the essay form, or all non-fiction the entirety of the book may not appeal to you. There are some stunning essays contained within though, and I *do* highly recommend anyone interested look Cole's articles online to get a taste of his writing!
There are individual essays in here that I think could appeal to almost any reader, but unless you are a huge fan of Cole himself, the essay form, or all non-fiction the entirety of the book may not appeal to you. There are some stunning essays contained within though, and I *do* highly recommend anyone interested look Cole's articles online to get a taste of his writing!
shaunagm's review against another edition
4.0
A wandering, thought-provoking collection of short essays about the ways we relate to each other, through art, travel, history, and conversations with friends and strangers.
My only complaint is that so many of the essays were about art and photography, and yet the edition of the book I read had only a dozen or so pages of the referenced art. I don't know whether this was due to space or cost constraints, or trouble with licenses, but I definitely preferred the essays where I could actually see the works in question.
My only complaint is that so many of the essays were about art and photography, and yet the edition of the book I read had only a dozen or so pages of the referenced art. I don't know whether this was due to space or cost constraints, or trouble with licenses, but I definitely preferred the essays where I could actually see the works in question.
line_so_fine's review against another edition
4.0
Reading Cole's essays here and there in the New Yorker doesn't quite give you the full picture of the sheer breadth of his writing. From politics to movies to photography to poetry to identity to literature and on and on- the ground he covers is wide. Most of the pieces are short and sweet- I read this all in one day.
ochutchinson's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Fantastic collection of essays, quick thoughts, art critique, and lovely writing.
lectrice's review against another edition
4.0
4.5: The sign of a strong essayist for me is that they make even unfamiliar topics or subjects somehow riveting, and Cole mostly succeeds here. I found a few essays less engaging but on the whole, his range, erudition, language, and tone are impressive. And he’s a talented photographer on top of it