Book Review: The Age Of Earthquakes

★★★★☆: A bizarre and brilliantly funny look at the social, economic, and philosophical impact of the internet.

This is a very weird and pleasing book which is part philosophical/economical text and part art installation. It peppers an exploration of technology and future and existential humanity-based angst with winking net art and cat jokes, so I mean, what's not to like?

It has a genuine sense of forlorn introspection mixed with mirth and I imagine nervous laughter as I read a lot of the thoughts in here. The way the text is broken up alongside all the visual humour lends a certain detached feeling that seems very appropriate for the topic, and it manages to feel smart and poignant despite its briefness and its slant towards a memetic and futile humourous voice.

It's a bit hard to describe and elaborate on, especially as it is so visual, but this book feels so intense and worldly and funny and knowing. It's a pleasure to read, even with its anxious undercurrent of millenial terror.

This is a perfect coffee table book for those of us creative weirdos that have grown up online and made spaces for ourselves here that felt like home. I for one would have enjoyed some extra outdated Bebo references, but you can't have everything.