Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Freeman's: Change is a great compilation of stories, essays and poetry focusing on the concept "change" in various scenarios and countries. I treated this as a sample text that introduced to some brilliant writers and poets of our age. I requested for this book from @netgalley knowing that there were a list of fantastic writers from all over the world and was thrilled to receive a digital arc of this. I did not read this book in one stretch but decided to dip in and out of it in the last few months which worked perfectly for me. Every time I picked it up I would be nothing but impressed.

The best part about the book was how it represented the same concept but in various different forms, perspectives, countries and people. If you are looking at hearing different voices from authors & poets around the world, please pick this up right away! I think my favourites were the compilation of stories/essays/poetry that came in the second half of the book. Through this book for the first time in my life, I read poetry and actually enjoyed it.

Some of my favourites were
Algeria Held in Reserve by Zahia Rahmani
Chick Truck by Yoko Ogawa
Library or Life by Alejandro Zambra
Bread by Lana Bastasic
Dream Man by Cristina Rivera Garza
Kunstlerroman by Ocean Vuong
Poetry collection by Siarhiej Prylucki

Definitely pick it up if you want a new perspective and discover an amazing list of authors, poets translated text from around the world!

Stimulating, vivid short works abound in this anthology. I found that I wasn’t always a willing participant in every path each writer wished to lead me down. But there are gems here, especially by the always amazing and dependable Lauren Groff.

What I love most about anthologies is the fact that no matter who you are you always find something you like in big magazine-books. In the soon to be published Freeman’s The Best New Writing on Change I liked a few short stories and essays. Sayaka Murata short-short story, Zahia Rahmani long and beautiful essay on Algeria, the mesmerizing Chick Truck of Yoko Ogawa, the essay on library, and love and life of Alejandro Zambra.
I found the rest of the anthology not lacking per se but plain, too mfased. You could notice at once uniformity of a certain style while outside it there was a bouquet of voices, a richness. Even so no matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find something to like.