The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

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I’ve been a fan of John Green since 2014 when a fellow undergrad mentioned Looking for Alaska. I fell in love with Green’s writing like Hazel Grace falls for Augustus—slowly and then all at once. Ever since that first taste, I’ve read everything he’s published. So, when The Anthropocene Reviewed hit stores, I was the first person at my local Barnes & Noble to receive a copy. They literally had to open a box so I could purchase the book.

I realize John Green has discussed similar things in a podcast of the same name but, as of this post, I haven’t listened to an episode. I went in with nothing but the notion I would learn more about one of my favorite authors and finished with exactly what I expected. Though there’s nothing novel about John’s rating format, I enjoyed his ramblings and heavily sourced material. I learned about many things I would have never stumbled across myself, and for that I am grateful.

Though I don’t usually offer my favorite quote from books, I believe I’ll start doing so because it offers a snippet of me that you might otherwise never see. For reasons I’ll leave up to your imagination, this one stood out among the many other gems: “One of the strange things about adulthood is that you are your current self, but you are also all the selves you used to be, the ones you grew out of but can’t ever quite get rid of.”

I give The Anthropocene Reviewed five stars.

Misfits by Michaela Coel

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I love Michaela Coel. After watching Chewing Gum and I May Destroy You, she became one of my favorite writers/directors. Her storytelling, particularly in I May Destroy You, was so brilliant that I had a difficult time not rewatching the limited series as soon as I was finished. Coel has a knack for character development that I admire and aspire toward.

When I heard about Misfits, I immediately placed it on my TBR. Though not as gripping as her TV dramas, I found Coel's message inspiring and thought-provoking. I'm sure her words will find the "misfits" and provide wisdom and light to those needing encouragement.

Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion

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I have always been a fan of Didion’s work. Let Me Tell You What I Mean is no exception. Though I’ll admit the final essay regarding Martha Stewart was longer than I felt it needed to be, I appreciated her take on MS’s success and fan base. The rest of the pieces were concise, intriguing, and poignant — as is Didion’s signature.

If you haven’t already picked this one up, I recommend it. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading Didion’s work, now is the time to dip your toes in.

There’s something for everyone. She is known for her contributions to New Journalism (alongside the great Norman Mailer) but has written a number of novels as well; my personal favorite is Play It As It Lays.

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