Everybody Else Has a List; Why Can't I?
I'm very pleased to note that Paper Towns made the "Best of the Year" lists at Booklist, Kirkus, and School Library Journal. So pleased in fact that I have been inspired to write my own best of the year list:
Best Book I Read That You Didn't Read:
This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar ben Jelloun
Best Failure to Apprehend the Other Complexly:
John McCain for cynically thinking that women will vote for women because they are women.
Best Brotherhood 2.0 spinoff:
This is a tight race, but I'm going to give the edge to the five awesome girls.
Best Videoblogger of 2008:
Frezned.
Best Show at the Indianapolis Museum of Art:
Surprisingly, I think my favorite may be the exhibition of the Vogel Collection currently on the third floor of the IMA. Much of the work is difficult--particularly for a guy like me who is not entirely convinced by minimalism--but its presentation and the manner in which it was collected helped me to understand why minimalism matters.
Best New Discovery about Indianapolis:
Lunch with my friends Chris and Marina.
Best Performance of the 2008 Tour de Nerdfighting:
It definitely wasn't anything Hank or I did. It was either Molly playing My Hope in Seattle or Julia Nunes playing Short and Sweet in Boston.
Things in 2008 I Am Most Likely to Bore My Future Children About:
The tour with Hank and registering 14 new voters in Indiana.
And you? Did you love something I didn't read? (Probably.) Did you discover something awesome about Indianapolis? (Probably not.) Let me know your bests in comments or on your blogs.
Happy 2009. Here's to the most awesome recession ever.
posted by John Green @ Wednesday, December 31, 2008
45 Comments
45 Comments:
It also made the Top 100 Editor's Picks of 08 on Amazon.com =)
My replies: http://alanlastufka.livejournal.com/254486.html
For some reason that title reminds me of "Light, the visible reminder of Invisible Light"
best book....sadly a school chosen book, but still an incredible book, "Cry, the Beloved Country," by Alan Paton
My answers: http://casey-connors9.livejournal.com/369645.html#cutid1
Minimalism does matter! Thank you for understanding! Look at early works of mondrian, for example, who was a landscape painter who gradually abstracted and then became the painter we all know. It's amazing, and really helped me grasp the concept of minimalism. It was probably one of most important lessons I learned in art school.
It's on my blog! Time to drive to Fort Wayne!
I liked What I Saw & How I Lied (but you've probably read) and on your tour I liked the girl with the guitar singing the Harry Potter song and the fact that you don't kick babies out of your signings. =)
Happy New Year!
I really liked paper towns, but I'm guessing you've read that already. The bell jar was pretty good too.
I also have a Top List going on my blog for books: http://typesetjez.blogspot.com/2008/12/more-top-10-stuff-of-my-own-this-time.html
And here's a post from last night where I talk about the Top 10 Lists on Yahoo
http://typesetjez.blogspot.com/2008/12/top-10-lists-as-per-yahoo.html
Book I read this year that you probably didn't...either Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones or Hero by Perry Moore. Both are excellent. Hero I would recommend to you.
In fact, I did discover something awesome about Indianapolis:
It sucks a helluhvah lot less than Springfield.
So, for some reason your e-mail adress decided not to work. So screw it. I'm putting it on here.
Warning: Has no relevance to the blog post.
(It's about Looking for Alaska)
*copy/paste*
Alright, so I guess I'll start this email off with a pretty basic set of facts.
1. I finished reading Looking for Alaska 4 hours ago.
2. It took me 6 hours (and change) to read.
3. I estimated that it took an hour to read 20-someodd pages, which, for me (a mindless teenager whose ADD medication wore off two hours before starting to read) is pretty good.
4. I haven't read a book for enjoyment in over 4 years.
5. Those 6 hours (that it took to read it) were between the hours of 3:00 AM and 9:AM (I'm kind of tired.)
6. It was worth every second.
Yeah, I figured it would be pretty annoying to highlight the numbers in red, ... so I did. =]
Back to the e-mail.
I could talk about the deeper meaning, your ridiculous obsession with last words, or your flagrant hunger for a "bufriedo", but instead I'm choosing to talk about ...well, I'm not actually sure yet. I assume if I babble a bit of nonsense for awhile I'll figure that one out. ...It probably had something to do with the book... I could only assume. Perhaps it was the thought process you had at the time of writing it, but that would be the most boring subject of an e-mail in the history of e-mail subjects. I also doubt you remember what you were thinking 3-6 years ago. I wouldn't blame you. Man, I'm hopeless at this. My one chance at asking an AMAZING question, and I blow it.
Alright, I'll give it a shot. Not what I intended to say, but at least it's something.
I'm going to tell you a story.
Ready?
READY?!
yeah, hell yeah you're ready.
So, the setting: two days ago, barns and noble (classic), scattered showers
This wasn't my ideal location... considering I don't buy books... I don't read books (other than classics assigned at school to be tested on). And somehow I was dragged to this inconvenient place while waiting for our plastic buzzer to vibrate and notify us that our table at an Irish restaurant was ready. The "us's" and "our's" refer to me, my cousin (same age, on vacation from D.C.), my aunt, and my dad. My cousin is the reader. Even more so since she was on vacation, because she was staying with my grandma (to whom claims to have an Internet connection that, in reality, doesn't exist), so all the time she would have spent on the computer shifted dramatically to reading. Anywho, we were in the "teen" section of the bookstore, classy (I know), while the parents went to the cafe to drink coffee and read furniture magazines. As I looked at the backs of just about every book on the shelves, I came to a conclusion. I wasn't much a "teen" section kind of a person. The only reason I was even trying to find a book was because I know I only have 6 days to read Cat's Cradle (A book you need to be in the mood to read to fully enjoy it, a mood I was certainly not in). So I figured if I started out with an easy to read book, I might get into the habit of reading. Get into the required "mood" for Cat's Cradle. To be truthfully honest... I chose "Looking for Alaska" because of the big 'P' on it. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I knew it was shiny, gold, and circular. Clearly a very important award. I also figured that if I was going to read one of these 'teen' books, I might as well read the one with the shiny 'P' on it. Right? Plus, I'm into photography, and the smoke was pretty cool. Yeah, you're listening to the only person left in the world that openly judges a book by it's cover. It's a bad habit, but it's not really noticeable considering I read.. no books. Anyway. I picked it. My cousin picked her book. (Some book with a girl living in a house with 7 guys, I found it to be a house full of horny Mormons.-a joke that is funnier when heard aloud and further explained-) After decisions were made, my dad (a Jewish calc teacher), attempted to use both a giftcard and his teacher discount (in true Jew fashion), but quickly noticed that you can't get a discount if it doesn't cost anything.
So the buzzer later buzzed (finally), I had the battered fish sandwich, we went home, and I didn't touch the book for two days. Not sure why. Guess I was just lazy... and hadn't read a book for ages.. I wasn't really in the mood to read... plus I actually had Internet. But last night (this morning) I was ...about to go to sleep. But, instead... I read the book. Straight. Not stopping. I forgot about being tired. I just read. I don't remember ever doing that, although I came close to it when reading 80 pages straight of Bartleby. Well, not exactly close, but it counts if you've read very few books in your lifetime.
So that's the story.
I'm not much of a writer.
Sorry.
Thanks for writing the book.. by the way..
I guess that's what I actually was initially going to say.
Just, thanks.
(Obviously there's a lot of emotional shit behind the "thanks", but do you really want to hear another story? Didn't think so.)
-CasiJane
(rhymes with MaceyJane -people tend to think "Cassie", and I tend to find them mentally challenged)
my email is "kseajayne@aol.com"
Sorry about this ridiculously long post.
Best Book I Read That You Didn't Read:
Hmm, a tough one, since many of the great books I read this year were suggested by you (Thanks by the way). I would have to go with The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway, Betrayed by George Packard, or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Dick. You've probably read those at some point, though, since you do read a lot. :-D
The Tour de Nerdfighting event in Knoxville and the whole P4A awesomeness were certainly things that helped to make my 2008 perhaps the best year ever. DFBTA!
Something awesome about Indianapolis this year? Well, I discovered a pretty cool little cuban restaurant downtown near the circle. That's the first thing that comes to mind ...
Andy Arenson
My friend Marcy and I have set a reading goal for 2009. We will read at least 100 books. Within those books would be 50 authors we have never read before. We will blog about our book and keep a running count.
I think that this would be an AWESOME Nerdfighter Challenge. All of Nerdfighteria could read and blog together! It would be such a great way to gather book recommendations too!
How do you declare a Nerdfighter challenge for all of Nerdfighteria, not just you and Hank? Can I declare a challenge?
How would on do that? Cuz....I think I wanna! Can you maybe get back to me with a little feed back?? Thanks!
mjbagley@cox.net
Congrats on all the recognition for Paper Towns. It is well deserved.
As far as books go, that list is far too big to choose from.
Haven't been to Indiana lately, either. I'll get back to you on that one.
I registered six NC voters, so that's pretty awesome. And my future children will certainly hear about the Obama rally I attended. Incredible.
DFTBA.
2008 was a pretty great year if you ignore that whole economy thing...I've never stopped in Indinapolis to check it out, but I drove through it to check out Chicago, which was awesome. So far I've made two trips and covered the Field museum, navy pier, and the museum of science and industry. I didn't want to leave! I can't wait to go back!
Books....the best this year were "The Great Gatsby" (because I made a promise to myself that one day I would read it and one day this year I finally did and it was spectacular in all of its depressive glory.)
I also loved "Persuasion", it is the first Austen I've read and I really enjoyed it. I love all the movies based on Austen books so I was a little nerveous, but I'm finding I like the books more.
I changed it up a little, but here's a link to my list:
http://yasdnilbackwards.blogspot.com/2009/01/2008-list.html
Happy 2009, John.
a book called the chocolate war, if you haven't read.
as well as the brothers karamazov and ender's game (:
Best New Discovery:
Nerdfighters.
=D
I posted my answers here:
http://infinitecauseways.wordpress.com/
Happy days.
- Rosi
Best New Discovery about Indianapolis:
One time, when you were on BlogTV and while you were taking Willy outside, a man came up to the window behind you and waved at us.
The rest of my bests of 2008: here
Thanks for a great 2008, and have a fantastic 2009!
I think assuming that John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate because he was sure that women would vote for a woman is a failure to apprehend another complexly in itself. She was also very conservative, something a lot of republicans felt he lacked. I saw it as an appeal to his own party, unless he said or did something that led you to believe otherwise.
Anyway, happy new year!
Yeah voter reg!!
I promise your FO was insanely grateful. 14 is awesome.
Love, a former FO.
JOHN YOU JUST TOLD THE INTERNET SWEETAFTON23'S LAST NAME.
which is weird because it's drawn to my attention the fact that i have never been anyone's fan so ardently without knowing their last name.
and now i guess i'm not anymore.
oh. and something i loved that you probably didn't read:
silver salts, by mark blagrave.
dr. blagrave is an admirable professor and playwright and director of dramatic spectacles at my school, and his (first, so far) novel is both really good in general and could be a really good companion reading to paper towns, as it's largely about images and mirrors and such things. i think you'd like it.
Sorry about the personal trainer you got for Christmas...
and i'll have to check out that book that you listed.
I think we made the most awesome out of 2008. DFTBA!
Hope & Cheer,
Karma
Here are my replies John:
http://ittakesii.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/best-of-2008/
:)
-Julian, ItTakesII
Is it somehow cool to mock the places you live?
I laugh as I type this because in Paper Towns you say something to the effect that "...You'd never thought you'd say this..." and then you go on to thank your parents for raising you in Florida.
What's bad about Florida? What's bad about Indianapolis? What's bad about going to a boarding school in Alabama? I realize that the grass is always greener and yadda yadda, but on some level it starts to turn into elitism to continually think you are better than your surroundings. I'm not trying to pick a fight -- God knows I adore you. Frankly I've never been to Indianapolis, but it is a large city -- with the diversity and opportunities that large cities possess. I'm quite certain it has parks, libraries, bookstores, movies, restaurants, and apparently, per your post, a great musuem so it can't be THAT bad.
In light of this, may I ask where it is that you WANT to live that is not beneath you? Keep in mind, that no, you cannot create your own planet of awesomness. Is it some I'm-a-writer-so-I-must-live-in-New York-and-be-pretenious kind of thing?
Best thing I discovered about Indianapolis...that definitely would have to be the dollar theatre, after I discovered that 20 dollars only gets you two tickets at AMC.
Best Vlogger for oo (<--that's supposed to be an infinity sign): B20
I'm a little late in the B20 scene but you guys are starting my year right. I love your books (and I can't believe you know E lockhart) which is surprising since 1) I'm 18 2)I hardly read YA novels. It's a little hard to find books by you here in the Philippines so I haven't read Paper Towns yet. I hope you don't quit writing/vlogging, nerdfighters keep me happy. Your humor and intelligence gives me hope that there is still a chance for a bright future for the human race. haha.
Thanks John Green. :D
(P.S. I'm starting to write short stories again because of you, thank you)
I actually did discover something awesome about Indianapolis. There is an old hotel there that used to be a KKK hiding place, or something like that. There is even a tunnel in the basement leading to a house across the street so they could escape. The cool thing is, it will now be turned into a great homeless shelter for men, women and children. The nursery will be where the entrance to the old tunnel is. I discovered all of this while on a mission trip there, helping the homeless. Right now, the organization renovating the hotel is split up into many small, dilapidated buildings that don't have enough room to house everyone.
Best new discovery about Indianapolis:
My cousin Courtney! I spent a few days with her in October and got to know her as an adult professional instead of the 10 yr old little cousin that I remembered. She works in Indianapolis for the Indiana State Police. She has a very cool job and is doing very well.
Hey John, I wonder have you ever read the "a song of ice and fire" series by George R.R. Martin. As fantasy series go I think this has to be up there with the other R.R.'s work. It's rare to see such three dimensional characters in a fantasy series - I think its akin to the Sopranos in some ways in terms of quality and tone. Anyway was just wondering if you've read it and if so what you thought of it? And if not, do you read much fantasy in general? Its always interesting to me as to what my favourite authors think of each other.
I was vacationing in Florida a week or two ago, and I passed a Sun Trust Building. I just stared for a while, freaked out a little in my head, and then laughed at myself and went to Burger King.
My favorite book that I read this year would have to be Immanuel Kant's "An Enquiry Concerning the Metaphysics of Morals."
Oh, did you mean fiction?
Also, I fell in nerdfighterlike with a girl from Indianapolis, so that would probably be the most awesome thing about the city to me right now. :)
Lastly, I've got another Brotherhood 2.0 spinoff for you - my high school friend and I are vlogging to keep in touch while at college: http://www.youtube.com/thecartershaneblog
So I never read Paper Towns in 2008 because B&N online is shipping it in 2009. :( Hopefully. They're not very trustworthy when it comes to shipping books to my house. haha I love your list! :)
I would like to second the recommendation of "Cry, the Beloved Country" by Alan Paton (in comment #3). I'm a bit biased because before I even had the actual pleasure of reading it, I was assigned a paper on South Africa and a paper on Alan Paton. But seeing as it is the book that motivated me to actually go and study abroad in South Africa, I would always recommend it.
Also, "Ways of Dying" by Zakes Mda (which I read while I was there). Short but very interesting.
Something awesome about Indy that I discovered in 2008:
Shows at Indiana Repertory Theatre - they're really really sweet. And the theatre is gorgeous. And there are usually old costumes out and around the lobby which are worth hours of amusing coversation.
okay, so instead of just leaving even more comments on this post, i made an actual list...vlog-style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfcf4CDxUr4
fav recent read: 'Saturday' by Ian McEwan
fav minimalism: Gorecki's Third with Dawn Upshaw singing. Its on YouTube. Take a moment to take your breath away and never forget.
fav thing about Indianapolis: isn't the Cord/Duesenberg museum somewheres nearby?
fav vlog: Hmmmm. Do the cartoon updates on markfiore.com count as vlogs?!
FUTURE CHILDREN?
John... do you have something to tell the Nerdfighters?
Have you read Ellen Klages's WHITE SANDS, RED MENACE? Or her GREEN GLASS SEA? You definitely should. She blows most YA novels out of the water. Don't worry, yours is safely adrift.
Indianapolis is awesome!! not only does John live there, but that's wear my summer camp, aka the greatest place on earth, is!!
Best Book: Fevre Dream by George RR Martin. The man really knows how to tell a story. Its probably the best thing I've read in a long time. I've been trying to get everyone I've ever met to read it. I'd tell you what it is about, but that would just undermine the awesome of the book. I think it's better going in without any expectations. I also highly recommend not reading the summary on the back of the book as it contains spoilers.
"Best Show at the Indianapolis Museum of Art"
IMA is so awesome! I went there last year for art class.
My favorite piece of art was on the 2nd floor. It was made out of hundreds and hundreds of bottle caps and looked like a quilt.
And the string artwork they had...yeah, totally almost tripped over it.
My friends and I posed for pics in front of the LOVE statue xD
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