The Anthropocene Reviewed

Essays on a Human-Centered Planet

By: John Green

Narrated by: John Green

“Masterful. The Anthropocene Reviewed is a beautiful, timely book about the human condition—and a timeless reminder to pay attention to your attention.”—Adam Grant, #1 bestselling author of Think Again and host of the podcast Re:Thinking

The instant #1 bestseller from John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All the Way Down, is now available with two brand-new essays!

“Gloriously personal and life-affirming. The perfect book for right now.”—People

“Essential to the human conversation.”—Library Journal, starred review

The Anthropocene is the current geologic age, in which humans have profoundly reshaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays, bestselling author John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale—from the QWERTY keyboard and sunsets to Canada geese and Penguins of Madagascar. Funny, complex, and rich with detail, the reviews chart the contradictions of contemporary humanity.

John Green’s gift for storytelling shines throughout this masterful collection. The Anthropocene Reviewed is an open-hearted exploration of the paths we forge and an unironic celebration of falling in love with the world.

Audio exclusive! Three bonus essays!

©2021 John Green (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“The book is a review of humanity: how we grow, how we build, how we destroy, and how we observe ourselves. Many books succeed at making the personal universal, but this one also makes the universal personal.... This is a book about culture, about science and medicine, about Green himself, but really it surpasses these designations. It is essential to the human conversation. John Green whispered the truth of humanity onto the page, and as with all good secrets, you’ll need to lean in closely to hear.” (Library Journal, starred review)

“The Anthropocene Reviewed is the perfect book to read over lunch or to keep on your nightstand, whenever you need a reminder of what it is to feel small and human, in the best possible way.” (San Francisco Chronicle)

“There is something of the sermon in [Green’s] essays as he mixes curiosity and erudition with confession, compassion, and wit, searching for illuminating life lessons amid life’s dark chaos. His particular mix of irony and sincerity enables him to embrace both the sublime and the ridiculous.” (Booklist)

Great uplifting read for December 2021

Just what I needed, something honest, open and uplifting. Collection of fun short essays! Thanks!

An Unironic Celebration of Human Life

This is a book that longs for resurrection. As John Green surveys and the absurd and wonderful, destructive and glorious, cruel and hopeful, pitiful and noble wonders which mankind has brought about on the world, there is an inescapable feeling that the missing piece of the surprisingly unified collection of essays is the promise of an eschatological resurrection. Essays on the likes of Dr Pepper and Sycamore Trees bring us along on explorations of inventiveness, depression, contingency, mortality, and wonder. This does not make for a happy book at all times, or even most times. But does make for an experience filled with Green's own curiosity, joy, and longing for hope.

The prose is excellent and I plan to return to it often. The audio has some problems, with the recording timbre shifting jarringly on two occasions, but this was not enough to seriously hamper my deep enjoyment of this book.

I give the review a review

in the small hours of a Wednesday morning, I found the book agreeable.

I give the anthropocene reviewed five stars.

Moving piece of literature

John Green pulls you into his life as he reads this story. However by doing so he also pulls you into the world where you observe it in a different light. The stories move you and make you think. 5 stars

I give John Green 5 Stars

It took me much longer to get through this book than I thought as I typically binge read John's works. However, I had to sit with each chapter and take many crying breaks. I know I usually cry during a John Green novel, but I didn't expect to do so on the first page of "You'll Never Walk Alone".
So I picked up the audiobook as well, and listened to it on my commute to and from work (I give traffic and commuting 2.5 stars). This is a brilliant work that hits every human emotion.
I give The Anthropocene Reviewed 5 Stars

A Lovely Book Full of Heart, Knowledge, and Wisdom

This book feels both timely and timeless. Timeless as a record of the human centered experiment, and timely as a record that is contextualized in life today, specifically John Green's life. I found these essays informative, funny, and deeply moving. Only time will tell, but I believe this book has helped me look and think and live more attentively to the world around me, and I hope it will do the same for others.

Reviewing the Anthropocene

Without a single doubt this was one of the most provoking books I have listened/read in a very long time. I laughed, I cried especially when he was talking about the Hawaiian birds and hearing their song. this is now a part of my anthropocene, my human experience. I cannot wait to share this book with others.

good but

I could do without his religious point of view, but it's an integral part of his life story.

Five stars

An incredibly kind and gentle, journey through the existential terror that is the Anthropocene in in which we are steadily reminded that there are no observers, only participants.

Beautiful.

What a lovely and beautiful picture of this world we live in. Thank you so much, John Green. I love to hear you tell me about the way this world is from where you stand.