In Narrative in the Anthropocene Erin James poses two complementary questions What can narrative teach us about our current geological epoch defined and marked by the irrevocable activity of humans on the Earths geology and ecosystems and What can our current geological epoch teach us about narrative Drawing from a wide range of sourcesincluding Jane Austens Mansfield Park Maria Popovas collective biography Figuring Richard McGuires graphic novel Here Indigenous and Afrofuturist speculative fiction and moreJames argues that a richer understanding of the forms and functions of narrative in the Anthropocene provides us with invaluable insight into how stories shape our world. At the same time she contends that the Anthropocene alters the very nature of narrative. Throughout her exploration of these themes James lays the groundwork for an Anthropocene narrative theory introducing new modes of reading narrative in the Anthropocene new categories of narrative time space narration and narrativity and a new definition of narrative itself as a cognitive and rhetorical tool for purposeful worldbuilding.