Common Read is The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
The Anthropocene Reviewed, a collection of personal essays, was the Goodreads Choice winner for nonfiction in 2021 and an instant No. 1 bestseller.
Its summary says, “The Anthropocene is the current geologic age, in which humans have profoundly reshaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his groundbreaking podcast, 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.’”
It has been called “funny, complex and rich with detail,” “the perfect book for right now” and “essential to the human conversation.”
In addition to “Anthropocene,” Green is the author of five novels, including the 2012 breakout success “The Fault in Our Stars,” which was adapted into a movie in 2014. His most recent novel, “Turtles All the Way Down,” was published in 2017.
Common Read Kickoff Event
This year’s University of Idaho Common Read kickoff event is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the Vandal Ballroom of the Bruce M. Pitman Center. The event is free and open to the public.
The 2024-25 Common Read selection is “The Anthropocene Reviewed,” a collection of personal essays by John Green, and English Professor Erin James will give the keynote address.
James studies how we access new worlds through literature to foster positive environmental change. Combining narratology and ecocriticism into a theory she calls econarratology, James believes this approach to literature can help solve tough environmental problems.
Her debut book, “The Storyworld Accord: Econarratology and Postcolonial Narratives,” dives into the fusion of ecocriticism, postcolonialism and narrative theory, earning accolades like the International Society for the Study of Narrative’s Perkins Prize for Best Book in Narrative Studies. Her second book, “Narrative in the Anthropocene,” further explores storytelling’s role in the climate crisis.
About the Common Read Program
The Common Read is a program designed to engage the university and Moscow community, its students, staff, faculty and community members, in a unified intellectual activity. For first-year students it introduces them to academic expectations, respectful discourse, and community building.
This is a program sponsored through the Office of the Provost, the College of Letters Arts & Social Sciences and the General Education Program. It is a product of many faculty, staff and student members serving on the Common Read Selection Committee.
The Common Read Program and Keynote Lecture are supported by the Office of the Provost and the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, including generous support from the Judith M. Runstad Lecture fund in past years.
The Common Read Selection Committee welcomes nominations from University of Idaho's community for future Common Read selections. To nominate a book for a future Common Read, email the Director of General Education, Barb Kirchmeier, at barbara@uidaho.edu. Include the following information:
- Title, author, and publisher of the book.
- A short summary of the book.
- A short statement that explains how the content of the book will engage the university and the Moscow community.
- A short statement that explains how you think the content of the book might be integrated into different disciplines/classes.
- Any other information you think would help the Common Read Selection Committee understand why you think this book would be a good pick for the Common Read program.
If you would like to sit on the Common Read Selection Committee, please email the Director of General Education, Barb Kirchmeier, at barbara@uidaho.edu.