Week 12 Prompt

The Readers’ Advisory Matrix for The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

1.     Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

§  Highly narrative (reads like fiction)

§  A mix (combines highly narrative moments with period of fact-based prose)

§  Highly fact based (has few or no narrative moments)

2.     What is the subject of the book? This book is about exploring the happiest places on earth and questioning does happiness exist in these places or is it entirely subjective.

3.     What type of book is it? Psychology; travel, geography with a mix of narrative humor.

4.     Articulate appeal

What is the pacing of the book? Reads quickly, informative and gets your mind thinking.

Describe the characters of the book. The author is also the narrator, considers himself the grumpiest man alive yet he is quite quirky and witty.

How does the story feel? Interesting, humorous, clever and quirky.

What is the focus of the story? Eric Weiner’s travels to this countries (Switzerland, Netherlands, Bhutan, Qatar, Iceland, Moldova, Thailand and Great Britain) to find what makes up and determines their happiness.

Does the language matter? Yes

Is the setting important and well described? The settings are very important and make up majority of the book and its very well described almost to feel as though you have visited these places before.

Are there details and, if so, of what? Yes, there are details of how it country runs, their customs, laws and policies that make its citizens lives.

Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials? Are they useful and clear? No, just the author’s thoughts and opinions and interactions.

Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience? Of course, reading this books helps one to understand these countries, the lives of its citizens, their experiences living in these places.

5.     Why would the reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?

1. Learning/experiencing          2. Tone            3. Narrative