A review by sweetearlgrey
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green

Oh, the irony of giving The Anthropocene Reviewed a review! Hands down my favourite work from John Green; he truly shines in the semi-autobiographical prose presented here. This would have been an even greater comfort to me if I had read it when it was released, during lockdown.  I believe that John has a gift for balancing humour with deep sincerity and emotion, which is how each story left such an impression. For me it's not really about the topics and concept as much as it is about the warm-hearted and humane approach. At a time when people are increasingly individualised and disconnected from one another, John reminds us that our lives may be more interconnected than we believe. I happened to also be reading How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino at the same time. This novel explores some similar themes, so I may be subconsciously seeking out books that inspire me to reflect on my connection to the world on a deeper level.