This essay collection highlights the wonder in the world. A combination of science and natural history and the weird experiences the author has had, these 26 essays are weird and delightful and excellent to read. Also, there's an essay called "Ted Cruz is a Sentient Bag of Wasps." And that whole chapter is littered with little wasp images in the margins. A delight. Right now, I think we all need more reminders of the good in the world, the good in the mundane, and Greene's collection shows that beautifully.

The review sounded great and I'm sure it will be popular, but it wasn't for me. We will purchase it for the library. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This was a delightful little journey in the vein of World of Wonders and The Book of Delights. In each essay, the author, who seems to have a collection of unique and varied experiences, goes down a little rabbit hole of contemplation, mulling over the idiosyncrasies of animals and human interactions and what it means to be a good neighbor. There’s nothing I love more than glimpsing the inside of someone else’s mind, and Greene’s seems like a gentle, curious, benevolent place to be. The essays are well-written and meandering, while occasionally hitting a sharp and painful reality—the essay about the balloon dress and being snowed in particularly stood out to me.

This book is very well named; it is indeed "strange" and "wonderful" and full of "curiosity" (as the subtitle suggests). These essays, ranging in length from quite short to quite long, wander playfully through a variety of scientific topics. For instance, the statement "Ted Cruise is a bag of sentient wasps" expands into something other than the political commentary one might expect--it is not about Ted Cruise at all, but about wasps, about how we humans feel about wasps, about what we get wrong about them, about what a sentient wasp might think or do. An essay about making a pretend giraffe with your hands turns into an essay about what we say and don't say to children, and what they're willing to say back to us; it's an exploration of play and storytelling and how we pass on our beliefs, but it is partly (not mainly) an essay about giraffes. My favorite essay is about dressing the model of a giant sloth. I greatly enjoyed the surprise of each one--they made me think and wonder and filled me with delight.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

A Kendra Greene’s collection of essays, No Less Strange or Wonderful, is one of those books where I can admire the craft and ability but have to acknowledge that the essays generally did not do much for me. There’s no doubt that Greene has a way with language, word choice, and metaphor, plays well with structure, and there were a number of lines or passages that were particularly strong. But in their wholeness the essays were a mixed bag, with several (particularly the closing essay) feeling far too long and others in contrast feeling too slight in substance and length. Generally as well the book felt like it petered out with the last few being among my least liked.
My favorites among the collection were:
“Wild Chilean Baby Pears”
“Love is in the airport”
“The Ghost of Christmas Always” (some of my favorite sections though not sure this one cohered all the way)
“Ted Cruz is a Sentient Bag of Wasps” (probably the most fun and most engaging)

While not a fan of the book overall, I do think it’s worth checking out of the library for the several quite strong essays, and then of course, you might find yourself responding more positively than I did to the obvious talent.

This was such a lovely follow-up to Greene's first book of essays and my high expectations were not let down. The drawings here were an absolute highlight as well. The topics were so unexpected and varied, and I love the way she explores and writes about natural history. It's whimsical but not annoyingly so. Very reflective and meditative, and informative at the same time. It's a thinker but also easy to read, definitely one I'm excited to come back to.

My thanks to NetGalley and Tin House Books for an advance copy of this collection of essays that looks at the world through the eyes of a curious person, one not afraid to try something new or something strange in pursuit of understanding the world better, and sharing all that they have learned.

My brother always had a unique view of the world, one that got him a lot of looks, a lot of whispers, but a view that has stayed with him. My brother was a creative person, loved to draw, and loved to make things. His favorite was taking The Family Circus newspaper strips and making new captions for the cartoon. This starting off as fairly jokey, but as he got older became deeper and far more raunchy, most of which I have kept. My brother works in a creative industry using his mind and his view of the world to provide for his kids, both of which are taking after him in different ways. One can tell stories, the other can draw stories. A creative mind means the world isn't always black and white. There are a lot of shades. One wonders why things are supposed to be, why can't a shark have these eyes, and these teeth. Sometimes that creativity allows one to not be bothered by society norms, and try different things. Going to different countries to teach, and to learn, trying to shape balloons into new things. An artist one could say. A. Kendra Greene is that kind of artist, with the added gift of being a great writer, one who loves to learn, and share. No Less Strange or Wonderful is a collection of essays about the world, and about events in Greene's life both small and possibly life changing, and how all these moments make Greene the artist they have become.

The book consists of twenty-six essays all illustrated based on events from Greene's life, but look at the bigger issues that we all face. Life, a little death, love, being partners with someone and losing that someone. Greene discusses travels, teaching in Korea, working in Argentina, exhibits that Greene's has created in museums, and exhibits Greene has seen. Greene wonders about the life of a person who has stolen a taxidermied woodpecker, currently extinct from a museum display, who wrote that the woodpecker was doing well. Attending a balloon twister convention and wearing a dress of balloons designed to look like the dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in The Seven Year Itch. A dress that really changed the way she saw people, and how people saw Greene. The devil makes an appearance, first in Argentina, later in a dying bookstore, as a customer with good taste. A tree travelling down a street. Mixing shark parts to cause explosions. Finding love in an airport garage, or finding out about potentially disastrous medical news. The essays range in size and roam through time, each one illustrated in different ways, helping to tell the story, or explaining through art, what is being discussed.

Some of these essays remind me of life before becoming old and cynical. The way a child would view the world. I don't mean that in a bad way at all. Just the way before the world ruined us, the way I hope my nephews will always see things. When empathy wasn't a word, but a way children always acted, and thought the world worked. I really liked these essays. The mix of surreal, the mix of science and nature. Balloon twister conventions, broken arms from sleet, dressing slothes, and having to lock the house, as one's partner is forgetful to do. The essays twist in different ways, but all showing how amazing the world can be, how weird and different. And fun, if we let it. If we allow ourselves to.

One never knows what one will get in a collection of essays. I'm glad I read this one, I had a lot of fun, learned some stuff, laughed a bit, and had fun. A. Kendra Greene is a very good writer, an artist that I will have to be on the lookout for. I'm glad people like Greene are here, they make life less grey, and more magical.

Brilliant. As if the writing minds of Alice Munro x Kurt Vonnegut x Gabriel García Márquez were magically schmushed together. Philosophical, fantastical and poetic. Absolutely loved this book.

First I want to note that I'm giving this 5/5 for what it's described to be. This is different from my usual reviewing, where it's much more subjective and mood-based. For those who follow my reviews/have a sense of how I review and have similar interests, just note that this isn't really a "I recommend you read this" 5/5, as it wasn't really my thing.

With that out of the way, this was such a beautiful collection. More than once I wanted to print out the illustrations and use them as art for my son's room. I'm curious to see whether this will be more of a novel, or a coffee table book? It could really go either way, if you ask me.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, A. Kendra Greene and Tin House Books for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!}