 Book cover | |
| Author | Benjamín Labatut |
|---|---|
| Original title | Un Verdor Terrible |
| Translator | Adrian Nathan West |
| Language | Spanish |
| Genre | Historical fiction, alternate history |
| Published | 2021 |
| Publisher | Editorial Anagrama (English: Pushkin Press, New York Review of Books) |
| Publication place | Spain |
| Pages | 192 |
| ISBN | 9781681375663 |
When We Cease to Understand the World (Spanish: Un Verdor Terrible; lit. 'A Terrible Greening') is a book by Chilean writer Benjamín Labatut, written in Spanish and published by Editorial Anagrama. It was translated into English by Adrian Nathan West, and published by Pushkin Press and New York Review of Books in 2021. It describes the life of early scientists who made sacrifices to revolutionize science and its related fields, and explores the themes of sacrifice, madness, violence, and destruction that underlie the discovery of science and its advancement.[1]
A historiographical metafiction, numerous critics have either referred to the book as a novel or a collection of short stories in essayistic style.[2] When We Cease to Understand the World was received with positive reviews generally, and was recognised with various awards, including the International Booker Prize shortlist, the New York Times Book Review's 10 Best Books of 2021[3] and its 2024 100 Best Books of the 21st Century lists (ranked 83),[4] and Barack Obama's annual Summer Reading List in 2021.
- ^ Shaheen 2021, pp. 715.
- ^ Muller 2022, pp. 9–28.
- ^ "The 10 Best Books of 2021". The New York Times. November 30, 2021. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ Staff, The New York Times Books (July 8, 2024). "The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 2, 2024.