The author in a personal, intimate, and optimistic way, reviews different aspects of our current geologic age, in which humans have profoundly reshaped the planet and its biodiversity, known as the Anthropocene. He takes subjects that seem so innocuous and injects such poignancy into his essays that each is full of deep meaning. And with each essay, he reviews his subject, as if writing a book review of it with history and research and his own personal experience, to arrive at his rating based on a five-star system. I first discovered Green's podcast of the same title, and I was so moved by the essays and the author that I was excited to pick up this book. And truly, I have learned a lot from his reviews and his own personal journey amid the crazy assortment of topics he has chosen, from Jerzy Dudek's Performance on May 25, 2005 to the movie Harvey, to Academic Decathlons. I loved this book.Publisher description:
The Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his groundbreaking podcast, John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet--from the QWERTY keyboard and Staphylococcus aureus to the Taco Bell breakfast menu--on a five-star scale. John Green's gift for storytelling shines throughout this artfully curated collection that includes both beloved essays and all-new pieces exclusive to the book.