Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

"A literary guide to digital anxiety, The Unreality of Memory collects thought-provoking and playful essays on the Internet age's media-saturated disaster coverage and our addiction to viewing and discussing the world's ills."

Premise was strong, execution a bit meandering and didn't quite hit the mark for me, I'm afraid!

The premise of the book fascinated me, and the first chapter hooked me. However, I found some sections boring, and I found myself skipping over them. 

The Unreality of Memory is a series of essays - from discussions about disasters such as the Titanic, 9/11 and NASA accidents to pandemics/superbugs. There were several points where I just had to pause for a minute so I could find out more information about what the book was discussing. 

Apart from the small amount of sections I found dull - the rest of the book overtook my expectations. I was fascinated about the thinking of the author, and I was interested in their thoughts. The writing was engaging, pulled me in and kept me reading until the end. It also felt relevant to what’s going on in the world at the moment.