So I’m trying to get into literature that is not academic in nature. I’ve been on a multi year kick where I’m basically only reading history books. I like to be accurate so I have dug past pop history and gotten into very academic texts. This means that what I’m reading, while intellectually stimulating, is boring as shit.
I’ve been listening to the audiobook of The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green lately and found that I am really hungry for more books like that. I guess I’m looking for essays more than anything else. I think I’m looking for something in the vein of Baldwin or whatever the written form of what Anthony Bourdain was doing with Parts Unknown but I just need more guidance.
I do really enjoy reading drama, poetry, and have always enjoyed reading short stories as well. The only other reading have done seriously in the past few years has been a lot of political philosophy but that’s a depressing endeavour and I think I’m looking for more “universal human truths” rather than “This is how we fix everything!”
Tl;dr: looking for essays in the vein of The Anthropocene Reviewed. Also, need a starting place for Baldwin as well as recommendations for other writers that are similarly observational.
by Hastur13