natural history by carlos fonseca

this is the book i wish i have written myself.

this is a complete surprise.

i remember exactly how i’ve found this book. it was the list of best covers of 2020 at lithub.com, found via kottke.org. one glance at the cover and i desperately wanted to add it to my collection.

“natural history” is one of those multi-layered stories, when several threads tie up in one messy knot at the end. you know it from the start, so that’s not the surprise. the story brought me joy not because of any plot twists or some other surprises (when i said “complete surprise”, i meant entire book). the appeal is in the lace of faces, places, and events. words wash over you page by page, and soon you are fully submerged into the world where nothing really makes sense (making it not that different from actual reality) but everything is connected.

i really don’t know how to talk about “natural history” without spoilers. and i don’t know who else might like it, as well. so, don’t expect a recommendation from me this time. take a gamble instead.