The Wander Society

This book draws you in with a superb aesthetic and a casual side mystery to intrigue you. It then proceeds to spend the first half filled with pretentious ramblings about a higher state of being and the glory of Walt Whitman that make the motion of rolling your eyes an intense workout. It seems like a literary companion for the running gag in Momma Mia where Harry keeps saying he's spontaneous. However the second half of the book actually offers the content I was looking for; A fun list of concepts and ideas to randomize your routine and make you think, all within an interconnected framework to offer a sense of community without lengthy human interaction. The book is not without merit but is just heavy handed enough that it's easy to abandon.

This book was very interesting and enlightening. For me at least, it walked me back through things I haven't done or experienced since childhood and was a nice change of pace from my usual reads. It's not very long and can be set up to read in small sections at a time, which makes it easier to get through, especially when not in the mood to let my mind “wander”. I don't think this book would be great for everyone to read however, as it's more for a niche audience. You have to be open to the idea of wandering in order for this book to truly be impactful and a fun read. The end with the How Tos can also be a bit dry, especially if you're not really wanting to read something like that, but it does fit the book.