Welcome to another Road Trip Wednesday, a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway posts a weekly writing- or reading-related question and anyone can answer it on their own blogs.
This week’s topic is:
What was the best book you read in January?
In addition to getting me out of my Game of Thrones writing rut, John Green’s newest kept me up until 2:30 AM reading, crying, and hugging my cat, teetering on the verge of an existential crisis. It made me feel ALL THE FEELINGS.
GPOY
But it’s disingenuous of me to say that I just love the book. I do love the book. Certainly it would stand on its own, but what raises The Fault in Our Stars specifically and John Green generally is a community of YA readers called Nerdfighters. I met them, en masse, at Green’s Jan. 11 Washington, D.C. book tour stop. Through being a fan of John Green I got to see real teens (a crapload of them) find a connection to books, to a thirst for knowledge, to the desire to think about more than what MTV thinks they think (what), and most of all a connection to each other*.
John Green, by being a nice guy, an incredible author, and someone who does not ever talk down to teens, got a room filled up like this:
With teens who greeted an author like a rock star, sing along to songs about Quarks, and ask questions about feet and the meaning of life and get equally thoughtful answers. Teens who sit quietly and soak it up when someone talks to them like the intellectual-conversation-starved people they are, instead of just asking what college they’re going to.
The Fault in Our Stars was an incredible book. Amazing. Read-it-with-a-pencil-because-you’re-gonna-want-to-underline-stuff good. It flirted with too patently philosophical, but never crossed the line. I recommend it to humans who like thinking about humanity.
What awes me even more than John Green’s prose, though, is the opportunity he’s giving teens to find their like-minded peers. To celebrate life and all its complexities with them. If I’d had the Vlogbrothers in high school, I might’ve done some things differently. I would have met a lot more people I felt connected to, probably, and I would’ve felt less embarrassed to like the weird shit I liked like.
But you know what? I’m 26 now, and he’s still giving me that.
(A substantial portion of the DC Mafia, from right to left: Rick Lipman, Jessica BS, Cristin Terrill, Sara McClung, and Lindsey Roth Culli. Not pictured: Me and Sasha)
So The Fault in Our Stars gets my nod for best book I read in January. And John Green gets my thanks for making this month more incredible than it would have been without him.
What about you?? What was the best book you read in January? Did you get a pre-signed copy of TFiOS? Did it have a Hanklerfish?!
*And yet the boy to girl ratio was horrendous. Seriously, nerdboys, you need to come to events like this. Play the odds game, fellas.
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
I can’t wait to read The Fault In Our Stars. It is on my list of books to read but I didn’t get a chance to read it in January. Mostly cause I’m pretty sure it’s going to make me cry and I wasn’t ready for that this month.
Oh lordy. Be ready for some tears! Ugly crying: it will happen. Definitely might be better for a spring month—otherwise, just be sure you have some hot chocolate or similar to soothe you afterward!
I tend to avoid books with cancer in them (my father had cancer) because they take me back to a time that I’d rather not revisit. Having said that, I might have to break my rule after seeing THE FAULT IN OUR STARS on everybody’s Best January Read list this month. Definitely compelling.
I absolutely respect that. I read LOOKING FOR ALASKA not long after my dad died, and that was… ill advised. TFiOS does speak very specifically to the experience of young people facing cancer, but it would still hit very close to home.
That being said, it’s really a marvelous book. And it doesn’t preach or candy-coat. IMO, it’s a satisfying read for people that have been through something tragic on that scale.
Also, *HUGS*
I loved this book too! (And thanks for sharing the pics from the event. So fun to see writer friends hanging out IRL!)
Oh man! Who DIDN’T love this book?! (I’m sure they’d be scared to say anything, lol) And you know what would make that picture better?? If a certain *someone* from up north were in it! :D
I may be the only person on earth who didn’t read TFIOS this month. I did read Will Grayson, Will Grayson though.
AHHH WGWG! I am a fangirl for that book. In fact, it might be my favorite John Green book—though I’m not sure it counts when he co-authored. Anyhow, that was a great selection!!
My daughter has a signed copy we pre-ordered for her for Christmas. She read and loved it, so it’s on my TBR list. After I’ve read LOOKING FOR ALASKA. Not that I have to read LFA first–I know JG’s books are all standalone–but that’s just me.
NERDFIGHTERS! :D
I’m so glad your daughter loved it! A family of Nerdfighters is just about the coolest thing ever. :D
I have been warned: crying ahead when I read TFIOS (I need to add it to my list :D). I have to say, I will approach it with caution, the book really seems to be powerful.
Oh and I love those pictures, looks like a lot of fun you ladies had! and wow the crowd seemed biiig…I used to call Maryland home and I might have been in the crowd if I still did :-)
Aww! Yeah if you were still in MD you’d have been sweating it out in that hotel ballroom with the rest of us! It was wild :) And definitely proceed with caution! The book has only had serious impact that I’ve seen.
John Green sounds like today’s John Hughes. Definitely looking out for this one! It sounds amazing.
Oh my gosh, that’s the PERFECT way to say it! What a great comparison. You should definitely pick the book up :)
John Green is so unpopular… poor guy ;)
I need to read this one, ASAP.
I know right? It’s a shame he’s not better known or more liked.
Yes, the perfect choice! And I did get my very own signed pre-order copy! Which I have to keep facing out on my bookshelf because it’s that important.
YESSS. I love that you have books that face out on your shelves! I need to start doing that :)
“Through being a fan of John Green I got to see real teens (a crapload of them) find a connection to books, to a thirst for knowledge, to the desire to think about more than what MTV thinks they think (what), and most of all a connection to each other.” Awesome, and I’m jealous. IMHO, being able to do the above through one’s writing is the ultimate level of success.
I completely agree! To look out on a crowd that size and know your books have brought them together… I simply can’t imagine it.
That’s incredible! I’m new to the whole John Green craze, and all the tweeting and goodreads status updating I saw this month really made me want to read TFiOS. So it’s near the top of my TBR list now, and I kind of regret not pre-ordering and missing out on the doodles! :(
You can TOTALLY still get a signed copy! Run out to the bookstore and grab one–he signed every first edition :)
I’ve heard great things about this one, but I’m putting it further down my list–I’m only about 3 months out from my cancer treatments, and I’m not quite ready to go there yet! I did see 50/50 in the theater though, and that had just the right tone to it. If I’d known that one was dealing with spinal surgeries, though, I might have put that one off too!
I missed 50/50 when it was in theaters, but I really want to see it. And I totally understand wanting to put it off—I’ll be thinking of you in a few months and sending you thoughts of delightful rom-coms and distracting SciFi. <3 <3 <3
I have to read this. You all can’t be wrong. i too am careful about cancer stories because of some family troubles but this one looks a ripper and I might have to risk it.
If you start reading and it hits the wrong chord, put it away. But I seriously, seriously doubt you will. What shines through is his experience working with teens who were diagnosed with cancer. The authenticity of experience is palpable, IMO.
I just couldn’t pick a favorite in January because it wouldn’t have been fair to the other books. How can any book this month compare with John Green?
Love your signing pics. I’m doing my recap on Monday. :-) I got a signature, a hanklerfish, AND a DFTBA. Life is good. :-)
YESSS! Can’t wait to see your fish! My Hanklerfish makes me smile SO big!
I think that was actually what most impressed me about the tour when it was in Seattle on Monday night. I mean, I definitely felt old, surrounded by all those teenagers (and I definitely don’t feel old very often…), but I also was super impressed to hear an adult actually talking to them like they’re human beings, and I was super excited to hear them singing along to such nerdy things (a lot of which I didn’t understand, let’s be honest).
And, yes. TFiOS was my pick, also.
Still feeling the John Green love 3 weeks later! I heart Nerdfighteria and this post. I wish I wasn’t rocking the crazy-eyes so hard in that picture, though ;)
I’m about to dive into this book today. I can’t wait. :)