A review by laurelthebooks
Known and Strange Things by Teju Cole

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!