John Green: Author of Paper Towns, An Abundance of Katherines and Looking for Alaska
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That Is So IRL

Today's blog comes to you in four parts:

1. Hank and I continue to recruit potential public library locations for the 2008 Hank and John Green Tour de Nerdfighting, tentatively scheduled for "most of November." We have a teen services librarian coordinating things, and it may take a bit for her to get back to you, but she will, I promise. If you're interested in hosting us (particularly if you live not-in-the-northeastern-quadrant-of-the-nation), please email work (at) sparksflyup dot com.

2. I recently met a few nerdfighters in real life, and one of them posted a picture of the occasion on facebook, and one of her friends commented on the picture: "That is so IRL." This strikes me as like the most hugely metaphorically resonant sentence ever to use the "That is so ..." structure.

3. I made a short video about Paper Towns over at amazon. I would embed it here to keep you from thinking I just want you to preorder Paper Towns (oh, btw, please preorder Paper Towns), but Amazon doesn't allow video embeds, apparently because they still believe in copyright. (Am I alone in thinking that as time goes on, copyright seems dumber and dumber?)

4. Save yourself 10 bucks (and the shame!) and just go have the Sex and the City movie spoiled right now. (Hint: It's terrible. And they get married.) I realize that people like to pretend that what's at issue is something involving gender (i.e., that I would find SATC a guilty pleasure if I were a woman), but what is really at issue is vapidity and poor writing. /rant.

26 Comments:

At June 02, 2008 , Blogger Carla Jean said...

JOHN GREEN.

I love your books, but oh my word, you don't have to spoil the SATC movie for me!

 
At June 02, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

My new phrase.
"That is SO IRL."

 
At June 02, 2008 , Blogger Sarah said...

I really enjoyed your video on Amazon. But watch out for those fictive versions of yourself-- they seem feisty.

Also, I can't wait to read Paper Towns. The only reason I haven't pre-ordered the book on Amazon is that I derive a surprisingly weird amount of pleasure from going to an actual bookstore and standing in line to buy the book in person while caressing the book lovingly. That's just me though :-)

(P.S. I could not agree with you more about SATC. Sweet Jesus.)

 
At June 02, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your Amazon video is entertaining, jsut the right amount of funny, sarcastic and self mockery. I'm looking forward to reaping the benefits of your three years hard labor!
Thanks for spoiling the SATC movie, truly. I didn't want to go see it with the girls anyway. I'd rather watch Iron Man again!

 
At June 02, 2008 , Blogger Claudia said...

I would love it if you came to Cleveland, Ohio! :D Now that it's summer, I finally have time to read for pleasure again. I'm diving head first into your books! I just finished An Abundance of Katherines and loved it.

 
At June 02, 2008 , Blogger courtneylynne said...

The Amazon video made me crack up. I have to make sure my mom sees it when she gets home so she'll pre-order Paper Towns for me.

 
At June 02, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love many things about this video.
1. The fact that at the end, after you say "Amazonians", your mouth pops back into the still framed "o" shape. It's very amusant, trust me.
2. The feeling of defensiveness for main!John as the other Johns picked on him. Poor main!John. Give him a break.
3. "Amazon Nation" "Amazonians" are both terms that particularly rock.
4. James Patterson reference was so bang on. Every time I blink I could promise that he releases a book. YA author Robert Muchamore is much the same.
5. LOLcats!
6. As if I needed more persuasion, that quick copy made me hit the "pre-order" button and Amazon has just informed me that a confirmation email will arrive shortly. Brilliant :D

I also feel like I need to add that sometimes I appear to be the only female on the planet who doesn't get the whole Sex & the City thing. Perhaps it's because I was more of a Friends girl or maybe it's just crap.

(I'm probably going to be branded a traitor to the Species of Woman now. Pssh.)

 
At June 02, 2008 , Blogger Morgan said...

Wow. I loved the video. I'm glad that you kept the same video style you have and didn't try to be really serious about it. If I stumbled upon that page and didn't even know what I was buying, I would probably still pre-order after watching that video.
I would love to host you in Chicago, however, I will be living in a dorm, which is REALLY unfortunate.
DFTBA (or ikke glem a vaere fantastisk in Norwegian. I'm not from Norway, but I have a Nerdfighter friend in Norway and she taught me that)

 
At June 02, 2008 , Blogger marrije said...

That book is SO pre-ordered!

 
At June 02, 2008 , Blogger Robert Jones said...

I can't seem to find the video on Amazon, am I just inept?

 
At June 02, 2008 , Blogger Renata said...

I got a copy of Paper Towns from Book Expo (or, rather, my dad got it for me). I'm up to part three (if I read any further I won't get on to my homework until 9, which would be a problem). It's SO GOOD. I can't wait to finish.

(And I personally think that while An Abundance of Katherines is not the best book of your three, Lindsay mostly pwns Alaska and Margo.)

 
At June 02, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOVE your books and the video.

but i have to say, what i love most of all is your lolcat hamlet haha. sorry, it just touched my heart in a way literature has yet to. can you post the picture? is that too creepy/weird/annoying of me to ask? sorry, i just kind of have the desire to send it to everyoneiknow. :}

 
At June 02, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

...I'm not a librarian...but I am a literate, nerdy teenager, and I am begging you to PLEASE attempt visiting the Schenectady County Public Library located in New York state while on your tour. It would essentially make my year. Sorry if I came off as a tad creepy. I have no real reason to think I came off as creepy...but...I'm....oh, nevermind. Please consider my request!

 
At June 02, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am going to try and get in touch with someone from my local library. Because some Greater Seattle Area Nerdfighters want you guys to come here... badly. O_O

 
At June 02, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think you're great, but the fact that you even went to SATC you've fallen a few notches. Then again I have bunny ears on my tv, hence I've never seen the show. Maybe I'm missing out.

Can't see the video at Amazon. I'm missing out again.

 
At June 03, 2008 , Blogger craps dealer said...

I've pre-ordered as ordered.

 
At June 03, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I wish to see more horrible lolcats books.

Also, already pre-ordered. Done!
I am so on the ball.

I admit I like Sex and the City, sometimes you just can't explain the things you enjoy. Like making creepy emoticons, or say..lolcat books. :D

 
At June 03, 2008 , Blogger Namlhots said...

Quoth John the Green:
"If you're interested in hosting us (particularly if you live 'not in the northeastern quadrant of the nation')"

You're not going to win many electoral votes here in the NEUS with statements like this.

I suggest sending out a press release saying you were misquoted and taken out of context and what you really meant to say was: "We want to visit the whole USA, and really need more invitations from Winner, SD and Honolulu, HI."

-SBTom

 
At June 03, 2008 , Blogger Crystal said...

Bobby, you're not alone. I can't find it, either :/

 
At June 03, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I haven't watched the video. I'm either being incredibly silly and not finding the video on the link, or you have to be logged in to Amazon to see it (in which case, I don't have an account). If anyone knows an alternate way to view said video, I'd be eternally greatful!

 
At June 03, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is good to see you haven't forgotten those of us in blogland! I will anxiously await word of the Hank & John tour, and more.

 
At June 03, 2008 , Blogger Shawn Marie said...

I can't find the video either. Am I blind?

 
At June 03, 2008 , Blogger Mrs. N said...

SATC was an awesome movie.

Shame on you and your straight male prejudices. As a 30 year old woman, I understand that SATC is fantasy. But as a woman who has suffered a miscarriage and is tiptoeing through what (fingers crossed) looks to be a pregnancy that will survive through birth, I related VERY strongly to the Charlotte character throughout the movie. As a married woman, I wonder how I would react if my husband cheated on me, and I have empathy for Miranda. As a woman who got caught up in her own wedding to the point where I did forget it wasn't about just me, I relate to Carrie. And as a woman who has left my job to do the mom/wife thing for the forseeable future, I wonder if Samantha wasn't on to something when she worried that her life had been subsumed by Smith.

No my closet isn't filled with $800 shoes. No, I'm not as simple a personality as the characters on the show.

But...and this is a big one...I relate very strongly to where they're coming from.

I am also grateful to have the option of seeing a movie that isn't aimed at teenage boys, men, little kids, or teenage girls (not that there's anything wrong with any of those demographics).

 
At June 04, 2008 , Blogger ke said...

I can't watch the video either. Would some kind soul tell this stupid person how to?

 
At June 04, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

the vid is a no-show for me as well.

 
At June 05, 2008 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you came to Cincinnati, I would die of happiness. Except I wouldn't die, cause I'd stay alive to see you. So please come!! Haha.

 

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