A detailed and unswerving fable about the impossible choices ahead of us—both as individual people and as a collective species. John Larison’s particular concern is the way that stories of the past can function either as cautionary tales, informing our commitment to a wiser trajectory, or, in the wrong hands, as convenient and exploitative mythology to waylay any doubts that our bright and bountiful future is somehow guaranteed. This book is a testament to the importance of stories that remind us to watch our footing while we climb, and always extend a hand behind us.
The Ancients by John Larison, (List Price: $30, Viking, 9780593831168, October 2024)
Reviewed by Charlie Monroe, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina