I thought it only fitting that the first review of the month (leaving last weeks teaser aside) be from the most unique book I've read this year.
The Age of Earthquakes is one of the most interactive books I've read this year. It is sat on the boarder between fiction and non-fiction (I'd probably describe it as creative non-fiction), and between graphic novel and illustrated essay. The fluidity of the text reflects the feeling of reading it. It bends the mind and submerges the body into the present day truths about climate change, the financial world, and social media. In fact, it's hard to think of a contemporary topic the book doesn't cover.
Mostly visual with sparse words scattered across the pages, sometimes densely packed in a way that jars the eyes, this book is a quick read. However this doesn't mean it's an easy read. It takes time to work through the pages, your mind rests on ideas and floats through them till you can find your own understanding. On mulitple occassions I closed the book, closed my eyes, and just thought about what I had just read. Whether it's deconstructing the 2008 financial crash or asking deep philosophical questions about the nature of the self, this book works hard to find an access point into the mind (and often suceeds).
It is a book that bears re-reading.
As you can tell, I love this book and highly reccommend it. Thanks so much to @leenanorms for gushing about it on her YouTube channel. Without her I would never have found this little nugget of wonder.
Have you read this book? I'd love to hear your thoughts, either in the comments below or on twitter. You can find me @VickiMaitland pretty much everywhere.
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