The Covers of Paper Towns
So for those of you who didn't navigate the wilds of omnictionary to find the covers of my new book, Paper Towns, which comes out on October 16th:
(I am sure that you already know this and everything, but just in case my grandparents are visiting my blog: You can click on the image to make it bigger. No, Nanny. Click on the image! Right, with the mouse!)
I am really psyched about the covers, and really psyched that there are two of them. And now, to celebrate, I will have a conversation with my 11th grade self.
Me: Hey, John.
11th Grade Self: What's up? Other than your cholesterol, I mean. Jesus, you are possibly even fatter than the last time spoke.
Me: Right, yeah. Listen, I wanted to show you the cover of the new book, Paper Towns.
11th Grade Self: What's it about?
Me: Orlando. Whitman. That kind of stuff.
11th Grade Self: God, I hate Whitman. He was such a tool. I'm a leaf of grass. No, wait. I am many leaves of grass. Oh, whoops. Now I'm just one leaf of grass again. I mean, come on. I could write that.
Me: No, you couldn't. Trust me. You come around to Whitman eventually. Anyway, check out the covers.
11th Grade Self: Wait, which one is the cover?
Me: They're both the cover. Same book, two different covers.
11th Grade Self: Dude, why not just have one freaking cover like a normal freaking book?
Me: A lot of reasons. First, because they look kind of awesome next to each other. Also, we felt like they'd each appeal to a different audience. And we wanted the cover design to be part of the book in a way it too often isn't; we wanted it to capture the ways that this person is wrongly imagined by the people all around her.
11th Grade Self: Weird.
Me: Yes, well, it's not unprecedented or anything.
11th Grade Self: Uh, well, I like them. I like the blue better, I guess.
Me: And I the yellow.
11th Grade Self: Hey, while I have you here, when do we really marry Sarah Urist or were you just screwing with me?
Me: We really marry her.
11th Grade Self: Christ, that's so awesome. Now that I know she's a chubby chaser, I think I'm gonna go hit the Taco Bell. I'll see you later, fatty.
posted by John Green @ Wednesday, April 02, 2008
46 Comments
46 Comments:
What a neat idea! I like... hm. Both of them. Can't wait to read it!
And your 11th grade self cracks me the heck up...
Haha I'd like to have a conversation like that with my 11th grade self, but I think I'll wait until it's more than 2 years ago.
I love the idea of 2 different colors! They both look great!
I totally like the blue one better--but E.Lockhart's book cover totally trumps both of yours anyway!
Dude! You forgot to leave room for the Printz Medal!
Though I am not a big fan of seeing pictures of the characters in a book, those are some awesome covers. I like the blue one the best. It´s more dark and mysterious.
Hi John, I don't know if you read these comments, but if you do... two questions.
Question Number One: Is there any chance you were in Ithaca, NY a few days ago? My father (who has been forced to watch many of your Brotherhood 2.0 videos by his charming Nerdfighter daughter, namely me) is positive that he gave you directions the other day. He says that he was walking around when a guy (we will call him JGWDG, or John-Green-With-Different-Glasses) came up to him and asked how to find Myron Taylor Hall. When my father was finished explaining the long and complicated route that is the way to Myron Taylor Hall, JGWDG shook my father's hand with "comical enthusiasm" and drove off.
So... did you find Myron Taylor hall? And what is with the new glasses? My father likes your old ones better.
Question number two: Are you going on book tour for PAPER TOWNS? If so, would you consider reading somewhere in Ithaca, NY? Myron Taylor Hall, perhaps?
man I like them both, it's going to be hard to decide which to buy!!
Love the covers - I like the knowing look on the yellow cover quite a bit, and the blue for its sorrow.
Can't wait for the release, which is still too far away.
So, John, when I buy your book from Amazon.com, I am just going to be surprised by whatever cover I get?
This reminds me, I am need of a book recommendation. Got any ideas for me?
I like the yellow one better too, but the idea of a cover appealing to two different audiences is a smart.
I'll propose that to my editor, "John says this is all the rage!"
=D
Dang, John, some of us are in BOTH of those audiences! Both covers are too awesome to decide which one is better, in my opinion.
I love the covers! The contrast between them is very interesting and make me want to read it even more! :D
So if I order it from Amazon, which cover will I get?
I have to admit to liking the yellow cover better, but only marginally.
Of topic but, NERDFIGHERS go to http://indexed.blogspot.com. A woman named Jessica Hagy makes hilarious/thoughtful statements about society through venn diagrams and graphs.
Hey 11th grade John,
Ease up on the sass, dude. People are going to respect your work in a major way when you're a grown up.
Congrats grown-up John. Can't wait to get my hands on it.
i'm so excited. i think this book will get me through part of school year where there is no hope for the end. especially as a senior. you're the best. thank you.
madeleine, unless john says otherwise, i predict your dad mistook a potential law school student for john.
many law school students look like john greens, but they are not nearly as clever, nor do they have a good sense of direction.
11th grade John is probably a bit perturbed to consider the deeper meaning of your question; especially if it was john.
I love the covers! I don't think I like either one the best, though, I feel like something inbetween. Now I have to figure out which one to buy :p
One thing I really like about it, though, is how there's a blue circle in the O of the yellow cover and a yellow circle in the O of the blue cover. Very nice.
And I agree with jmprince - you forgot to leave room for the medal ;)
John, I always love the conversations with yourself. And I think that is a really cool idea to make the cover part of the book in that way. I myself think I must agree with your 11th grade self however and pick the blue. They're both cool though, man.
DFTBA,
--Max
"we wanted it to capture the ways that this person is wrongly imagined by the people all around her."
You keep dropping these types of desciptions that make me want to have this book NOW.
I can't choose which cover I love more! It is quite distressing!
I think I'm on team yellow, but I love them both.
I'm pre-ordering this as soon as I get my college address, too. The wait is killing me, but at least I will have it in a prompt manner when the time comes.
(I went back this morning and watched the videos where you read the first part back in September. It sounded really good even in a rougher form, can't wait to read the polished one!)
Speaking of Whitman, PBS has a show on him this month. Click on "Check Local Listings" to see when.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/whitman/
your former self gives me hope for my future self.
thanks, john.
I have to say I'd be more likely to pick up the moody blue one... but they both look great. Having two different covers is definitely intriguing.
Yay! I love both the covers! I'm so excited for the book. Alaska and Katherine's both changed me as a person. Good luck!
The covers are awesome, but now I don't know which one to buy!!
They look awesome, John! Congrats! I can't wait to read it.
- Nerdfighter Stephanie
John, those covers, as well as that girl, are beautiful dude. I love them, i can't wait to buy the book.
I love the blue one. Wait, does that mean I'm the same as you when you were 11?
Hi John! I'm stopping by to visit you in real time, although I really have no idea what you're up to now... I'm making slow progress through the 281 videos posted on YouTube (which are serving as pretty frakkin' awesome methods of procrastination, by the way) and I've only now been through your eye disease saga, the Helena Montana song, and the news that you might be moving to Indiana. Incidentally, are you in Indiana now? WAIT no, don't tell me. I don't want to be spoiled. It's like a novel. But live-action. And the stories unfolding via vlog are captivating. Is Hank's house going to be sold?! Are they going to move?! Ahhhh nailbiters!
Okay, I'm commenting with the purpose of telling you this: I believe I am a Book Nerdfighter, but since I started grad school (of the odious law variety), I have not been able to read books for enjoyment. I have been forced, instead, to read books like... "Criminal Law and Its Processes: Cases and Materials."
Dry. To say the least.
I've often longed for book recommendations but, alas, I'm surrounded by many similarly situated people. But your (and your brother's) vlogs have inspired me to revive my book-devouring habit. And I plan on going through your vlog from the beginning and making an extensive book list entitled: "THE BOOKS OF JOHN (and Hank)" This list will consist of every book you and Hank mention or feature (and maybe I'll try to squint and read the titles of some of those books on your home library shelves). Once this list is complete, I will read those books.
This is my own project/challenge that I've set for myself, inspired by B20. I've always wanted to read more, but I never knew which books to read. Thanks for bringing books back into my life. And... subsequently decreasing world suck. One booklist-less person at a time.
P.S. I'll read the books in the order that I like, which means I'll be starting with Looking for Alaska... and avoiding... that ten million paged.. Ulysses or... Odysseus book.. that you pointed out.. toward the beginning. *dreads*
Wow! he both look really good, but i think I'll buy the yellow one. She's more cheerful there. But who cares? I just buy the cheaper one. :D
(reading blogs) OMG! A new John Green! (Clicks link) Cool covers! What's it about? (Scrolls through post. Clicks through to empty Amazon preorder page) There has to be SOMETHING here about what it's about! (Tries sparksflyup) Not even mentioned! (Many Google links later) Aaaargh! What is it about???
Maybe there's a blurb somewhere, but if a devoted fan can't find it after five minutes of poking around (four more than your casual user who you care about more because you know I'll buy it anyway!)... Big blurb! Well-placed, easy to find! PLEEEEZE!
It'll be interesting to see which cover sells more copies. I think I'll just shuffle and pick one out blindfolded.
Congrats on getting this far in it...now what's your next WIP? :-)
I'm also interested in how Amazon will carry them. A "Choose Your Color" button? I hope it won't be like with TV GUIDE, where you get the collector's edition with Sawyer when you really wanted Locke.
As an 11th-grade nerdfighter, I have to say, that must be a pretty cool conversation to have. I would LOVE for my 30-year-old self to come back and talk to me.
As it is...well...I'm looking forward to the book. I read "Alaska" and "Katherines" this fall and although my tastes usually run more towards fantasy/sci-fi, I loved them both. So...thanks. :)
The covers are very Kevin Brooks of you... nice, though. :D
You should read The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. There are a lot of conversations with 11th-grade selves. :-) The covers look excellent! Can't wait to see them in stores!
ha ha lol I love the conversation with your eleventh-grade-self, I love both covers!
This book looks soooo amazing! I can't wait to read it!!!
I like both covers, but i must say I am partial to the yellow...
I do love it when people speak to their younger selves, and I have always found your conversations with your younger self hilarious. Good times, good times.
Can't wait, Blue cover rules, interesting girl, beautiful, will we get to meet her at any book signings.
King
Love them both! I can't choose. The blue one is so very mysterious looking but I love her beautiful blue eyes in the yellow one! Can't wait for it to come out!
TJD
Huge fan. Pre-ordered months ago. CAN NOT WAIT.
I like the yellow one more because it shows Margo as I imagine her and that never happens with book covers. Loved the novel, how the story unfurls, and the way you weave in Whitman. You've got a great voice. Nice to meet you at the Edgars. Waldo.
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