"If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." - John Green 2016 A really great line. I hope to use it in the future.
Yup. All the time. My own mother participated in book burnings! Fortunately my father put his foot down and would not let her burn his Science Fiction collection. Thus, I was introduced to classics such as Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and The Illustrated Man, Orwell’s 1984, Asimov’s Foundation series, and then-newish books like Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain at a very young age. I’m proud to say I never recovered, and am still reading F&SF to this day. Sadly, the lions of The Veldt never came to life and ate anyone that needed eating (like book burners!), but we DO seem to have been dealing with a lot of Doublethink since John recorded this video in 2016. 😢
+Carly's World I would recommend that you don't read it all. I haven't read it, but it doesn't seem like it's worth it. There are hundreds of much better and much more rewarding books out there.
+Carly's World read The Communist Manifesto instead, equally if not even more important important political work, and it doesn't call for the extermination of the Jews
"And ultimately if you have a world-view which can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel" I love this quote a lot. Thank you for being so good with words.
even tho I have been sick and in bed for the last 48 your comment john made me laugh so hard 😂 😂 😂 and then cough so idk if it is a good thing or a bad thing
Teacher here, and first of all, thank you for the vote of confidence John. Second of all, if I am allowed to teach Romeo and Juliet (in which a thirteen year old rather openly wishes for night to come quickly so that she may *ahem* enjoy the company of her new husband), Looking for Alaska also has a place on the bookshelves of our school libraries.
Romeo and Juliet was written centuries ago, when culture was wildly different. And I really hope you got fired and probably arrested for exposing innocent kids to this sort of book.
My school has a Banned Book week every year, where all the most popular banned books (ex: Perks of Being A Wallflower, Looking for Alaska, etc) are placed on a shelf by the little lounge section. Plus most of the books we're assigned are highly challenged/banned. It's really nice tbh
Wait. You're John Green? YOU'RE the one who wrote Looking For Alaska? Allow me to submit a formal and entirely non-emotional complaint: YOU HURT MY FEELINGS! Why did you make me care so much about a fictional character! I hate reading, but I read the whole book because it was so engaging and I had to go through a rollercoaster of emotions to finished it. You should be ashamed of yourself and this book SHOULD be banned.
As Pudge said, in one of the most emotional lines I have ever read, "you can't just make yourself matter then die, Alaska" And no, I'm not crying right now just from thinking about it
+Gage Smith +Marie Lastname I think it's because of the way he said it. You could tell that John was actually pretty pissed about this. There was something in his voice that conveyed anger. And angry John is "Oooooooh shit" worthy.
Well said! And as a teacher of teenagers, thank you for writing books that understand that teenagers are insightful, thoughtful, engaged and intelligent people. Many kids think they hate to read when often they just hate reading things that presume that they are shallow and stupid. You make my job easier!
It's a little appalling that Looking For Alaska was #1, but Fifty Shades was #2. Really?? Due to the piss poor writing alone that book should never be read by young people lol.
I'll be a bit cheeky here, but for fans of reading, this whole thread seems to consist of people who don't read even the headlines carefully. It was a list of most challenged books of 2015. So "50 Shades" being on this lift is not surprising at all and has nothing, or little to do with youth or how well it's written.
+QJadipreneT9 Don't! Since I bought Paper Towns I've done nothing but reading. Paper Towns, An Abundance Of Katherines, Will Grayson, oh hello... TFIOS. I stay up til 4:30am... cause I'm reading?! It will not let you go!
+QJadipreneT9 Best weekend of my life. I spent 6 hours (got up once) reading "The Fault in Our Stars" and "Paper Towns", then I ate dinner, then spent 4 hours reading "Looking for Alaska" and "An abundance of Catherines". Twas great.
+vlogbrothers No, thank you!I'm a huge fan of all your work. It's humbling to know that my voice has reached you. Paper Towns is a lifelong favorite of mine. Thanks for turning me on to the Mountain Goats, too! Best wishes, thank you for your time, and have a splendid day
My school library, during banned book week, creates a whole presentation with all the banned books of that year, about 20 or so, and encourages us to check out those books. That’s why I love my library
My parents always bought me books. My whole family always made sure I'd read many books to expand my creativity and my fantasy. They never told me not to read Stephen King, or books with sexual intercourse in it or things like that. They just made sure I would read. Looking for Alaska was the first of your Books which I read. And it still Is one of My favorite Books. Since then I read all your books in English and German. Thank You for all the Inspiration!
Best statement I've heard in a long time... "If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel."
Looking for Alaska is my favourite book of all time, it is beautifully written and just an incredible story. I cried more than I've ever cried at a book before and I think about it every day. I will soon be getting a Looking for Alaska quote tattooed on my body. Anyway, I just really love your work, John.
"If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." - John Green 2016 This is a quote that should go into the history books. Well done.
John, I read Looking For Alaska eight years ago, aged 13. These were my most easily influenced years and I did lots of stupid things. However, from memory what I learned from Looking For Alaska was: 1. That coming to understand who you are in the world is a near impossible task, though it's worth trying. 2. Other people will never be within our control and all we can do is accept their choices. 3. That relationships are endlessly complicated and that's ok. I learned so many important things, and Looking For Alaska was one of many books that formed a key stepping stone from child to adult. It makes me sad to think other young people will miss the opportunity to absorb this book with all its words and in all its context and feel better about being a young person. Thank you for creating Alaska John!
+Reformed Soteriology this is kind of funny because prior to reading it, for a really long time I expected it to be about some guy's journey to Alaska, and how he's a researcher, and I kept imagining this survival novel and all that cold and I could see the characters and their coats and everything. turns out it's just about a kid in boarding school (and also some other stuff)
Good lord I feel naïve for being shocked about that but to me that's conducted oppression of minorities. And "sex education"? Really? How on earth can sex education be bad? It's important. It's been taught in schools. I got sex education books and brochures from my school at the age of 12.
ClaraMarch yeah many of the reasons for these are ridiculous, downright homophobic and honestly it's kinda scary to see what it shows about our society.
I'm a teen librarian who also read Looking for Alaska as a teenager. Your "I Am Not a Pornographer" video from 2008 was one of the most influential forces in helping me articulate why books - teen books, in particular - that contain sex or violence or any other of a host of "objectionable" topics should not be banned from our schools and libraries. I have nothing to offer this conversation except a sincere thank you for standing with us!
Yeah, I've been writing a book on my own for a while, and I have some characters who are nazis say some very racist things. Out of context it's terrible but once you realize the entire book shows these racist people getting their asses handed to them. Simply mentioning something happening isn't a support of that thing, it's often the best way to set that thing up to fall.
"If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." - The most savagely sophisticated way of thoroughly roasting these ignorant book banners ever. John Green is secretly living the thug life.
in 2013 students in my secondary school went absolutely nuts over looking for Alaska, every kid you'd see walking down the hall or sitting off somewhere was reading or holding that book :) that's how I came across you and your books my friend Erin was reading it none stop and crying over it in registration everyday and so I went and bought it, needless to say it won book of the year in my school coming in at #1
Hi, John This is Sam and I'm a professional student and part time procrastinator. After viewing this video twice, once on the release day and once again today (the day after), I became ever more intrigued by your ideas, which caused me to reevaluate my own values. I have read TFIOS but I have not yet read Looking for Alaska. This caused me to go on an endless internet search about the book which ended with me watching your 2010 video about the book, titled "Looking for Alaska at My High School". At the towards end of the video, your 2010 self says, "Nostalgia is inevitably yearning for a past that never existed." At the end of this most recent video, you say, "Instead, I believe that books challenge and interrogate. They give us give us windows into the lives of others and give us mirrors so we can better see ourselves." I have been a long time subscriber and I know that both you and Hank say some of the most intellectually provocative things almost every video. I have come to admire that about you two. You do not use extra fancy pros or anything, so I want to know how do you create meaningful lines out of the most simple aspects of English? I feel that my writing, especially for my English class in school, is particularly lacking in substance. In the context of great books like 1984, Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange and many more works (yes, I am taking dystopias), I feel the need to learn how to be profound. So, how does one make his/her writing more profound?
i for one submit the turner diaries as an example of an evil book. intent of the author matters. if they're just telling a story or covering history - all fine. But when you make propaganda and try to dress it up as a novel thats a different story. No subject is off limits. No event in history beneath discussion. But propaganda comes in all forms and with all kinds of intentions.
@@-Teague- Mein Kampf is of extreme historical importance and should be available as such. Back when i was at school my history teach was reading it, and it sure wasn't because she agreed with it's world view...
I did a presentation in university of why my fellow future teachers should teach "Looking for Alaska". But then again, we Europeans are all porn-loving socialists, I suppose.
"Somewhere in America there's a child holding a gun and one holding a copy of The Catcher in the Rye. One of these has been banned, and it's not the one that can rip through flesh. It's the one that says 'Fuck you' on more pages than one." Somewhere in America, there's a child sitting at his mother's computer reading the entire homepage of the KKK which is opened to the public, but has not read To Kill A Mocking Bird because of its use of the N word." - Youth Speaks. Los Angeles. "Somewhere in America."
I'm having a binge of old videos and the line "I love you Alaska Young," give me the worst chills even to this day. Thank you John, Looking for Alaska is always the book I go to to make the world feel real again, after a depression in my own life.
When I was in seventh grade, I read the book "hero" by Perry Moore. It kind of intrigued me to start off with, but I was immediately put off by one thing: a questioning, but still very gay, main character. During the read, that fact kept distracting me from the plot, but I've never not finished a book so I read it until the end. Years later, I'm very grateful I read that book. It wasn't extremely well written, it even had a couple of major plot holes. However, it introduced the concept of being gay in a normal light, one that I had not been able to experience with extremely religious conservative parents. And now I identify as bi. Words and books have power and banning them can only be counterintuitive to the progression of humanity.
+MeRyEh you actually did screw up by not being aware that putting text in between two stars makes it bold. however i can forgive that because i too fall for it all the time and it´s a stupid feature. *keeps scrolling*
+Doktor Mabuse It's a feature that's borrowed from Wiki markup and Reddit markup syntax. On these platforms, the writing style is emphasized over "emoting" as you would in a chat room or game.
1. The sick burn at the end was awesome 2. The Puff has now moved from the top of your head to your chin 3. My Puff realisation distracted me from what you were saying so I better watch this again...
I just listened to Looking for Alaska today (I wear headphones at work, so I started and finished it in one shift) and it was phenomenal. You mentioned it in a short I watched the other day and I had to see what it was about. Thank you for all you do
I think censorship in schools is very harmful to students, it means that people leave school with a very narrow view of the world and even if books contain ideas or science that are considered distasteful they should not be banned because people have these views,I'm the real world and to pretend that things you see as taboo don't exist dose the help anyone.
Thank you John. It is eloquence like this (combined with videos of people laughing without smiling, then actually laughing) that has kept be subscribed for over 5 years now. Please keep thinking critically and imagining complexly. You are doing a great service. DFTBA.
"If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." I argue that a novel can (and furthermore sometimes should) be able to undone your world view and it's completle normal (espicially for young people seeking for answers). This is how learning works. You not only add new information to your brain, but also reinterpret and rethink already existing knowledge. No one born with strong opinions, so we learn to find what seems right to us. Personally I can remember how groundbreaking and impressive to 13 y.o. me was to read "Anna Karenina", it's ideas of kindness and happiness realy changed my world view (and probably save me a few years getting this ideas through personal expirience). P.S. I agree with everything else in this video, and definetly against banning (any) books
have a reply after 2 years... you are arguing by agreeing ?? "I argue that a novel can (and furthermore sometimes should) be able to undone your world view and it's completle normal..." that is the point. A book can change your view.. and when it does that is not the problem with the book.. its problem with your view...
I decided to watch some vlogbrothers because I was having a writer's block on my paper about the importance of a good education system. This video just happened to be the first one I clicked on this evening. Needless to say the block is gone. Thank you John for your continuous flow inspiration.
My school still has a copy of Looking for Alaska in the library. Haven't gotten all the way through it, but I will eventually. Keep doing that writing thing, John. It really suits you.
This video prompted me to buy Looking for Alaska, which I didn't even know existed up until that point. It was amongst the first three books I had bought out of my own free will in nearly a decade. I've just now gotten around to reading it in my free time and I don't regret a thing. While a few scattered passages are a bit explicit, the book in its entirety is fairly mild compared to what you may find on television or even in schools. I see why the book is challenged, but that by no means should make people turn the other way. The fact that it was so challenged is what led me to consider reading it. No spoilers here but I found myself able to relate in a few places, and my desire to read for the sake of reading has been resurrected. Thank you, John Green.
Oohhh major shade thrown at the narrow minded by John! Keep up the amazing work John, your novels are something truely remarkable and I believe that no knowledge should be banned from people. The ability to ban books in america is a horrific injustice to these students. But on the other hand props on having created a book so amazing that the people of narrow minded worldviews feel threatened by it
Looking for Alaska is honestly one of the best books I have ever read, and I am legitimately sorry for any of those people who may not have the opportunity to read it now. Good job, John.
+Bekah Burton Its sold at wal-marts all across the nation for about seven bucks. Anyone that wants a copy can find one. You can find used paper back copies on amazon even cheaper. Also just because a book is challenged does not mean its successful. My local library dismisses most of these, especially if the book is a Printz winner.
John, while you brought up probably the main point that needed to be addressed, which was why the challenged scene was included, I think there was SO much left out of this video. You have expressed in many previous videos and blog posts the exactness of your defense of the matter, and if this video is to be THE video represent your stance on the matter, I personally think it could have been done better. I have read Looking for Alaska, and I completely agree with your points. I think your writing was spot on as to an accurate depiction of academy life, whether or not school boards want to accept it. To think that your book has been challenged as much as it has been is ridiculous because your book does have a great message. So in general I must commend you for both writing such a well-written book, but also putting up with the decades's worth of backlash. Not all authors can handle that. I admire you a lot, John.
And how come Fifty Shades of Grey is number 2? Hell, it's got more explicit content or should I say the whole book is an explicit content! It's an erotic. While Looking For Alaska... jeez.
This is my favorite book of all time and I am so glad I found it. This book has helped me through many rough times and I don't think I would still be here without it.
When I was in high school, we were required to read "If Beale Street Could Talk" By James Baldwin. There are some very explicit sex scenes in that book and it left the student body all a flutter. But it was not banned, nor did anyone even TRY to ban it. And we're talking the deep south in the mid-1970's here. Of all the books I had to read in high school, this one stuck with me the most. Not because it was a terrific book (though it was) but because it showed me that students could be trusted to read books with adult themes and have to experience no consequence in their world other than having read a great book.
There’s a guy in my county running for school board 100% based on how he “found this book” in a middle school library… and it’s not even in the county’s database/didn’t have a barcode to scan. But everyone thinks he’s Harold Hill, & this is River City. I am so sorry that these people want to ban your book, without reading it (I can only assume at this point, that they can not read… as it’s been over a year & they still have not read it!) People are so ridiculous. Thank you for this video!
Powerful. Couldn't agree more with you. It's usually the people with 'issues' who propose the banning. Censor what you can't come to terms with in yourself...
You were one of my favorite authors long before you became one of my favorite youtubers. I read Looking for Alaska in middle school (i'm 21 now) and recommended it to everyone, my exact words were "it will fuck your life up" That was the highest praise I could come up with at the time and it remains true. I think An Abundance of Katherines will always be my favorite though.
“Teenagers are critically engaged and thoughtful readers”... Wow john just made me realise I’m not an egg. Also, Looking for Alaska is one of my favourite books ever.
I love Looking For Alaska! I'm a sophomore and just moved to into a new district with extremely paranoid policies. I wish the powers that be would take into consideration how beneficial books or technology is for the students and the school atmosphere. It's sad that so many students aren't encouraged to read or learn about moving stories or important issues because someone else deems it "inappropriate" in a very uneducated way. DFTBA and also..... HAMILTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I see you, John!)
That one line you read from looking for Alaska felt like someone punched me through my verbal processing centre directly into my tear glands. I need to buy it now.
Can we talk about how the very books that many children and teenagers need are being banned??? How people are trying to strip LGBTQ youth of the resources that could help them, take away these stories that tell them that they are not weird and not alone? It's scary, harmful, and completely unacceptable.
yes! this is *precisely* what I was thinking whilst reading though that list. it's ridiculous and homophobic and just generally pisses me off. the fact that books can get banned for having lgbtq+ protagonists makes me very angry and sad.
I know. People seem to be taking this lightly but I'm genuinely concerned :/ For me banning these books is one of the worst things people can do. And we wonder why people are homophobic! This could be one of the main reasons :(
+SomeoneCalledDana Yeah I was really upset to see descriptions like "anti-family" and people brazenly citing "homosexuality" as a good enough reason to challenge it. & the wonderful I Am Jazz on that list :( :( ugh.
Yeah. It really sucks to be perpetuating this idea that same-sex attraction is inherently dirty. That's a horrible message to encounter when you're young, even if you're just trying to come to terms with your sexuality on your own, let alone having to deal with anyone else's reactions.
We had to read this book as our novel study for English 12. I loved this story, it was the only book I've ever been forced to read that I ended up loving and ended up reading for a second and third time!
Looking For Alaska, Two Boys Kissing, and Fun Home are three of my all time favorite books. These are cases in which my faves aren't problematic. Society is.
"Also if you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." John's most unabashedly savage quote ever
Hi, librarian here. I've been shelving books for a little over a year now, and I've found that parents that won't let a child read a book because it conflicts with their world views or they find it "inappropriate" (kid's section for books, mind you) are the kinds of people who will skip over inspired pieces like yours (which unfortunately rarely get checked out minus TFIOS) and go to magazines and poorly written pieces for quick entertainment after learning about more drama with the Kardashians. It saddens me to hear that this fantastic book is being silenced and prevented from getting to the hands of growing readers whose minds receive HUGE benefits from educating themselves about the world and the many amazing people that live on it through words contained in the pages of fantastic books like yours. Also, we're collectively pretty cool with the amount of exposure we get. Keep being awesome, and pour your cereal first. Please.
+RichyArg Specifically the thick beard with very short hair. Two weeks ago his hair was much longer so the beard didn't throw off the proportions as much. I normally don't notice this sort of thing, but yeah this time it makes him look completely different.
My Popular Novels teacher actually showed this video in class this year before we began reading Looking for Alaska, and a lot of the kids who weren't otherwise in the class, seemed very engaged in this video.
Nathan Conder The teachings of the Bible can be shoved down one’s throat. Often, however, the people shoving the Bible down your throat aren’t children.
As a high school teacher and therefore one of those highly trained, criminally underpaid and possibly more qualified professionals better able to make these decisions, I just want to say I don't know many students who read _Divergent_ without thinking it would be pretty cool to jump onto a moving train. Lord knows I do...
I am currently reading Looking For Alaska. I am currently 13 years old. I love to read and appreciate a good novel. To be completely honest I haven't really read to many of your novels. Mainly because of the fact I didn't like one of them. I read Will Greyson, Will Greyson, and loved it. A few days after finishing it I saw a quote from Looking For Alaska on Tumblr. I instantly thought that I needed to read it, but there was a problem. It's not in our school library. Nor the high schools. Nor the public library. It wasn't even on the website that is connected with other libraries. To say I was thoroughly pissed off would be an understatement. Then something amazing happened. The book showed up in the library. Yet, it didn't belong to the library, but I don't really care. I'm finally reading it, and as i thought, it's fucking fantastic.
"If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." - John Green 2016
A really great line. I hope to use it in the future.
yup!
I still don't get it
KILLER line.
He's saying that if your ideology can be so easily shaken and disturbed by a single work of art, it must not be resting on a very sturdy foundation.
♬That was cold bloodeeeeed! ♬
Wow John has such a way with words.. It's like he should write a book or something
+Jordin Farnsworth lol XD
He should start his own TH-cam channel first.
Maybe go into song writing
+Jordin Farnsworth Maybe he should teach a class on literature.
oh man I would so be into that! lol
I want to make John saying, "agressively unerotic oral sex" my new text tone
That part made me laugh out loud in a bar. And yes, if you make that a text tone, I want the file.
Same
+Kathy Trithardt Agreed, ditto.
Mine is still John's "dun dun dun honeybadger!"
same
To be fair, I did read divergent and want to jump onto moving trains, but I didn't because, you know, I'd probably die.
+highdrainkey Same tbh. It was one of those things that is "This would be cool and I want to try it, but it probably wouldn't end well so I won't."
Same
highdrainkey -Same
Why don't you try? and, then tell me how it all turned out?
same
The most ironic book banning I can think of was "Fahrenheit 451" banned because they burn books in it.
What the ...duck? Where did that happen? Maybe someone is just preparing a soon to come shift in governmental activity?
NO WAY! Time to google!
this hurts my brain LOL this is the most wild paradox of them all
bahhaha its all about not banning books 😂
Yup. All the time. My own mother participated in book burnings! Fortunately my father put his foot down and would not let her burn his Science Fiction collection. Thus, I was introduced to classics such as Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and The Illustrated Man, Orwell’s 1984, Asimov’s Foundation series, and then-newish books like Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain at a very young age. I’m proud to say I never recovered, and am still reading F&SF to this day. Sadly, the lions of The Veldt never came to life and ate anyone that needed eating (like book burners!), but we DO seem to have been dealing with a lot of Doublethink since John recorded this video in 2016. 😢
When I was in middle school I read Mein Kampf and I didn't feel the urge to be a Nazi.
Always heard it was a dry read, is that true?
+sion8 it is I read again when I was in my early 20s and I remember it's difficult to get through.
I've wanted to read it, any opinions/reviews of/on it??
+Carly's World I would recommend that you don't read it all. I haven't read it, but it doesn't seem like it's worth it. There are hundreds of much better and much more rewarding books out there.
+Carly's World read The Communist Manifesto instead, equally if not even more important important political work, and it doesn't call for the extermination of the Jews
Did you hear that clank? That's the Microphone hitting the floor.
Lol
Turn down for what?? *fuck yeah glasses meme*
Thought you were making a ratchet and clank reference for a sec D:
+1234kalmar mic drop
damn 😂 ikr
"And ultimately if you have a world-view which can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel" I love this quote a lot. Thank you for being so good with words.
First! -John
+vlogbrothers then me you know that
español!!!!!
Yay
even tho I have been sick and in bed for the last 48 your comment john made me laugh so hard 😂 😂 😂 and then cough so idk if it is a good thing or a bad thing
+vlogbrothers Somehow, you have the unique ability to make me laugh for the first time all day with a single word. Bravo John.
Teacher here, and first of all, thank you for the vote of confidence John. Second of all, if I am allowed to teach Romeo and Juliet (in which a thirteen year old rather openly wishes for night to come quickly so that she may *ahem* enjoy the company of her new husband), Looking for Alaska also has a place on the bookshelves of our school libraries.
+
Yeah...
+
+
Romeo and Juliet was written centuries ago, when culture was wildly different.
And I really hope you got fired and probably arrested for exposing innocent kids to this sort of book.
My school has a Banned Book week every year, where all the most popular banned books (ex: Perks of Being A Wallflower, Looking for Alaska, etc) are placed on a shelf by the little lounge section. Plus most of the books we're assigned are highly challenged/banned. It's really nice tbh
+Rebekah Bell I want to go to that school.
you're welcome to come :p
Loooove this
that is so cool
Wait. You're John Green? YOU'RE the one who wrote Looking For Alaska? Allow me to submit a formal and entirely non-emotional complaint: YOU HURT MY FEELINGS! Why did you make me care so much about a fictional character! I hate reading, but I read the whole book because it was so engaging and I had to go through a rollercoaster of emotions to finished it. You should be ashamed of yourself and this book SHOULD be banned.
just wait til your friends start dying
Holy shit dude
Wait, so you seek entertainment in videos not pertaining to motor driven cycles?
I know right? So sad. I came to "that scene" yesterday and haven't been able to open the book yet
As Pudge said, in one of the most emotional lines I have ever read, "you can't just make yourself matter then die, Alaska" And no, I'm not crying right now just from thinking about it
when he said "hank, I'll see you on friday" all the voices in my head just went "ooooooo shit"
???Why???
+Marie Lastname yeah, why?
+Gage Smith +Marie Lastname
I think it's because of the way he said it. You could tell that John was actually pretty pissed about this.
There was something in his voice that conveyed anger. And angry John is "Oooooooh shit" worthy.
He sounded more sad and deviated than upset to me. Reminds of the video he did after Esther died.
+David Mark whos esther?
Well said! And as a teacher of teenagers, thank you for writing books that understand that teenagers are insightful, thoughtful, engaged and intelligent people. Many kids think they hate to read when often they just hate reading things that presume that they are shallow and stupid. You make my job easier!
I'm afraid you forgot to drop a mic at the end, Mr. Green.
+1 😂
+
It's a little appalling that Looking For Alaska was #1, but Fifty Shades was #2. Really?? Due to the piss poor writing alone that book should never be read by young people lol.
+
+
Lindsay Mead I agree it's an adult romance series. which only should be read by adults who are okay with that kind of content
+
I'll be a bit cheeky here, but for fans of reading, this whole thread seems to consist of people who don't read even the headlines carefully. It was a list of most challenged books of 2015. So "50 Shades" being on this lift is not surprising at all and has nothing, or little to do with youth or how well it's written.
one of these days i'm gonna actually buy, and read, all this guy's books.
+QJadipreneT9 I strongly endorse this course of action. -John
+QJadipreneT9 Do it, especially Looking For Alaska, it's brilliant. :)
All his books are seriously amazing. You wont regret it.
+QJadipreneT9 Don't! Since I bought Paper Towns I've done nothing but reading. Paper Towns, An Abundance Of Katherines, Will Grayson, oh hello... TFIOS. I stay up til 4:30am... cause I'm reading?! It will not let you go!
+QJadipreneT9 Best weekend of my life. I spent 6 hours (got up once) reading "The Fault in Our Stars" and "Paper Towns", then I ate dinner, then spent 4 hours reading "Looking for Alaska" and "An abundance of Catherines". Twas great.
I love that book. this one cool teacher in middle school encouraged everyone to read it
+RhythmGrizz I am very grateful to that teacher! (And you of course.) -John
+vlogbrothers No, thank you!I'm a huge fan of all your work. It's humbling to know that my voice has reached you. Paper Towns is a lifelong favorite of mine.
Thanks for turning me on to the Mountain Goats, too! Best wishes, thank you for your time, and have a splendid day
This was a required book in my english class 😂😂
+Neal Shivy that's sweet
My teacher told me I'm not allowed to read any of his books for any work that is related to school
My school library, during banned book week, creates a whole presentation with all the banned books of that year, about 20 or so, and encourages us to check out those books. That’s why I love my library
My parents always bought me books. My whole family always made sure I'd read many books to expand my creativity and my fantasy. They never told me not to read Stephen King, or books with sexual intercourse in it or things like that. They just made sure I would read.
Looking for Alaska was the first of your Books which I read. And it still Is one of My favorite Books. Since then I read all your books in English and German.
Thank You for all the Inspiration!
Best statement I've heard in a long time... "If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel."
Meanwhile, in my school in Poland "Looking for Alaska" (in English) will be the 1st prize in the English Idioms contest.
Cześć
*English language. _Idioms_ are something much much different
***** I know. There's a English Idioms contest.
***** I know, right?
Kudos
This. And also apply this to music, movies, TV, stand up comedy, and video games.
Looking for Alaska is my favourite book of all time, it is beautifully written and just an incredible story. I cried more than I've ever cried at a book before and I think about it every day. I will soon be getting a Looking for Alaska quote tattooed on my body. Anyway, I just really love your work, John.
jamie-leigh tyler what quote you getting?
jamie-leigh tyler
I cried the first seven times I read it.
"Maybe it'll have a different ending this time?"
The ending, unfortunately, never changed
jamie-leigh tyler yes exactly it's my favourite book too and as he said reading a text won't show you the context the book is magical
@@sophieg4432 omg yes same !! 😭😭😭
"Books don't corrupt us." PREACH IT JOHN GREEN
"If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." - John Green 2016
This is a quote that should go into the history books. Well done.
+Brian McConkey Sorry to rain on your parade but I'm 99.99% sure that a quote like this has been around for a lot longer than this video.
+Brian McConkey It won't go into the history books if the school board can help it.
Meanwhile every book by George RR. Martin is in my schools library.....
+Pahwahster Good :)
;)
+James Lawner fxzdr
Damn wish I had those in my school libraries. Then again though those books are technically fantasy so I guess they slide.
LMAO!!!
John, I read Looking For Alaska eight years ago, aged 13. These were my most easily influenced years and I did lots of stupid things. However, from memory what I learned from Looking For Alaska was:
1. That coming to understand who you are in the world is a near impossible task, though it's worth trying.
2. Other people will never be within our control and all we can do is accept their choices.
3. That relationships are endlessly complicated and that's ok.
I learned so many important things, and Looking For Alaska was one of many books that formed a key stepping stone from child to adult. It makes me sad to think other young people will miss the opportunity to absorb this book with all its words and in all its context and feel better about being a young person.
Thank you for creating Alaska John!
A better educated public might actually read more than one line of a book before wanting to ban it from school libraries...
Criminally underpaid English teacher here.. just sobbing over my love for people who use their voice for me. Thank you.
wait... looking for Alaska is not about the state?
lol
+Reformed Soteriology I don't know. I never bothered reading it, since I already know where Alaska is...
+Reformed Soteriology no, it's a person's name
+Reformed Soteriology It's not about the state but it is really good. Worth reading if you have the time.
+Reformed Soteriology
this is kind of funny because prior to reading it, for a really long time I expected it to be about some guy's journey to Alaska, and how he's a researcher, and I kept imagining this survival novel and all that cold and I could see the characters and their coats and everything.
turns out it's just about a kid in boarding school (and also some other stuff)
THE REASONS FOR BANNING 3 OF THE BOOKS IS HOMOSEXUALITY... SERIOUSLY?
Abigail Donovan that sounds like a joke or a crime
ClaraMarch yeah it's for the books I am Jazz, Two Boys Kissing and Beyond Magenta...no joke...pause the vid at 0:37
Good lord I feel naïve for being shocked about that but to me that's conducted oppression of minorities. And "sex education"? Really? How on earth can sex education be bad? It's important. It's been taught in schools. I got sex education books and brochures from my school at the age of 12.
ClaraMarch yeah many of the reasons for these are ridiculous, downright homophobic and honestly it's kinda scary to see what it shows about our society.
i know this is from 3 years ago, but i have to add, i loled hard at the "public displays of affection" thing
I'm a teen librarian who also read Looking for Alaska as a teenager. Your "I Am Not a Pornographer" video from 2008 was one of the most influential forces in helping me articulate why books - teen books, in particular - that contain sex or violence or any other of a host of "objectionable" topics should not be banned from our schools and libraries. I have nothing to offer this conversation except a sincere thank you for standing with us!
Yeah, I've been writing a book on my own for a while, and I have some characters who are nazis say some very racist things. Out of context it's terrible but once you realize the entire book shows these racist people getting their asses handed to them. Simply mentioning something happening isn't a support of that thing, it's often the best way to set that thing up to fall.
"If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." - The most savagely sophisticated way of thoroughly roasting these ignorant book banners ever. John Green is secretly living the thug life.
in 2013 students in my secondary school went absolutely nuts over looking for Alaska, every kid you'd see walking down the hall or sitting off somewhere was reading or holding that book :) that's how I came across you and your books my friend Erin was reading it none stop and crying over it in registration everyday and so I went and bought it, needless to say it won book of the year in my school coming in at #1
Hi, John
This is Sam and I'm a professional student and part time procrastinator.
After viewing this video twice, once on the release day and once again today (the day after), I became ever more intrigued by your ideas, which caused me to reevaluate my own values.
I have read TFIOS but I have not yet read Looking for Alaska. This caused me to go on an endless internet search about the book which ended with me watching your 2010 video about the book, titled "Looking for Alaska at My High School".
At the towards end of the video, your 2010 self says, "Nostalgia is inevitably yearning for a past that never existed." At the end of this most recent video, you say, "Instead, I believe that books challenge and interrogate. They give us give us windows into the lives of others and give us mirrors so we can better see ourselves."
I have been a long time subscriber and I know that both you and Hank say some of the most intellectually provocative things almost every video. I have come to admire that about you two.
You do not use extra fancy pros or anything, so I want to know how do you create meaningful lines out of the most simple aspects of English? I feel that my writing, especially for my English class in school, is particularly lacking in substance. In the context of great books like 1984, Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange and many more works (yes, I am taking dystopias), I feel the need to learn how to be profound.
So, how does one make his/her writing more profound?
“There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book.
Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.” Oscar Wilde
i for one submit the turner diaries as an example of an evil book. intent of the author matters. if they're just telling a story or covering history - all fine. But when you make propaganda and try to dress it up as a novel thats a different story. No subject is off limits. No event in history beneath discussion. But propaganda comes in all forms and with all kinds of intentions.
I would change the word ‘book’ to story, then would totally agree
Mein Kampf:
"Sick, guess I'm off the hook then!"
@@-Teague- Mein Kampf is of extreme historical importance and should be available as such. Back when i was at school my history teach was reading it, and it sure wasn't because she agreed with it's world view...
@@littlemissevel3607 I wasn't calling for it to be banned, I was pointing out the (imo) silly logic of this comment.
I love that you slipped in a subtle reference to Hamilton
Allons y~ omg finally. I thought I was the only one that noticed 😂😂
I also thought I was the only one that noticed lol
What was it ?
I did a presentation in university of why my fellow future teachers should teach "Looking for Alaska". But then again, we Europeans are all porn-loving socialists, I suppose.
FUN HOUSE? FUN? HOUSE?
JOHN GREEN YOU DID NOT JUST CALL FUN HOME "FUN HOUSE."
That was soooo cringey
So ... Looking for Alaska is so pornographic it deserves the first place, putting in second ... Fifty shades of Grey?
Yes its kinda discusting for me- 14yo
"Somewhere in America there's a child holding a gun and one holding a copy of The Catcher in the Rye. One of these has been banned, and it's not the one that can rip through flesh. It's the one that says 'Fuck you' on more pages than one."
Somewhere in America, there's a child sitting at his mother's computer reading the entire homepage of the KKK which is opened to the public, but has not read To Kill A Mocking Bird because of its use of the N word." - Youth Speaks. Los Angeles. "Somewhere in America."
Stop Unnecessary Censorship. Censorship Blinds!
Absolutely true.
That ending was professional, and just straight-up badass.
+Jonah Morris yes.
I'm having a binge of old videos and the line "I love you Alaska Young," give me the worst chills even to this day. Thank you John, Looking for Alaska is always the book I go to to make the world feel real again, after a depression in my own life.
When I was in seventh grade, I read the book "hero" by Perry Moore. It kind of intrigued me to start off with, but I was immediately put off by one thing: a questioning, but still very gay, main character. During the read, that fact kept distracting me from the plot, but I've never not finished a book so I read it until the end. Years later, I'm very grateful I read that book. It wasn't extremely well written, it even had a couple of major plot holes. However, it introduced the concept of being gay in a normal light, one that I had not been able to experience with extremely religious conservative parents. And now I identify as bi. Words and books have power and banning them can only be counterintuitive to the progression of humanity.
Actually a chance someone will see this comment - better not mess it up...
*Trips over feet and drops phone*
+MeRyEh you actually did screw up by not being aware that putting text in between two stars makes it bold. however i can forgive that because i too fall for it all the time and it´s a stupid feature.
*keeps scrolling*
+MeRyEh I saw this comment... and laughed so much ^_^
👀
+Doktor Mabuse It's a feature that's borrowed from Wiki markup and Reddit markup syntax. On these platforms, the writing style is emphasized over "emoting" as you would in a chat room or game.
1. The sick burn at the end was awesome
2. The Puff has now moved from the top of your head to your chin
3. My Puff realisation distracted me from what you were saying so I better watch this again...
I just listened to Looking for Alaska today (I wear headphones at work, so I started and finished it in one shift) and it was phenomenal. You mentioned it in a short I watched the other day and I had to see what it was about. Thank you for all you do
How on EARTH did Looking for Alaska beat out 50 Shades of Grey on the most banned list???
Lostbetweenthepages because more people read looking for alaska
"Agressively un-erotic oral sex"
Best quote 2016
+RageSkoda Lets see how much nerdfighteria art he gets with this quote on it within the next year, lol
I think censorship in schools is very harmful to students, it means that people leave school with a very narrow view of the world and even if books contain ideas or science that are considered distasteful they should not be banned because people have these views,I'm the real world and to pretend that things you see as taboo don't exist dose the help anyone.
Sucks to be a Newcastle supporter eh ;)
Peter Jones It sucked to be a Sunderland supporter More last year tho
There are exactly my camplain against society and the educational system a nd so many other systems.
Maybe schools shouldn’t be providing kids with soft core pron. Nobody is stopping these kids from asking their parents to buy it for them.
4/5 Graders should never be exposed to Anything with sexual Content..
If you do so Outside of A school setting it is Considered a serious crime
Thank you John. It is eloquence like this (combined with videos of people laughing without smiling, then actually laughing) that has kept be subscribed for over 5 years now. Please keep thinking critically and imagining complexly. You are doing a great service. DFTBA.
Something about John's voice and how quickly he talks soothes me...
"If you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel."
I argue that a novel can (and furthermore sometimes should) be able to undone your world view and it's completle normal (espicially for young people seeking for answers).
This is how learning works. You not only add new information to your brain, but also reinterpret and rethink already existing knowledge. No one born with strong opinions, so we learn to find what seems right to us.
Personally I can remember how groundbreaking and impressive to 13 y.o. me was to read "Anna Karenina", it's ideas of kindness and happiness realy changed my world view (and probably save me a few years getting this ideas through personal expirience).
P.S. I agree with everything else in this video, and definetly against banning (any) books
have a reply after 2 years... you are arguing by agreeing ??
"I argue that a novel can (and furthermore sometimes should) be able to undone your world view and it's completle normal..." that is the point. A book can change your view.. and when it does that is not the problem with the book.. its problem with your view...
It looks like his glasses are squeezing his head lol
yesss
just noticed that 😂
+PixelatedSquare It is called being near sighted
+havtor007 Look at his head. The top part in comparison to the bottom
His head is like a peanut
I decided to watch some vlogbrothers because I was having a writer's block on my paper about the importance of a good education system. This video just happened to be the first one I clicked on this evening. Needless to say the block is gone. Thank you John for your continuous flow inspiration.
H A M I L T O N R E F E R E N C E ! ! !
YES!! I wanted to see who else got that! I'm so glad John is a Hamilton nerd too
yay hamlet!
Hamilton trash
#nerdfighteriaforham
I'm 100% hamiltrash
My school still has a copy of Looking for Alaska in the library. Haven't gotten all the way through it, but I will eventually.
Keep doing that writing thing, John. It really suits you.
"And write musicals about treasury secretaries."
I almost lost it when he said that because HAMILTON AND THE GENIUS THAT IS LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA!!!
This video prompted me to buy Looking for Alaska, which I didn't even know existed up until that point. It was amongst the first three books I had bought out of my own free will in nearly a decade. I've just now gotten around to reading it in my free time and I don't regret a thing. While a few scattered passages are a bit explicit, the book in its entirety is fairly mild compared to what you may find on television or even in schools. I see why the book is challenged, but that by no means should make people turn the other way. The fact that it was so challenged is what led me to consider reading it. No spoilers here but I found myself able to relate in a few places, and my desire to read for the sake of reading has been resurrected.
Thank you, John Green.
Oohhh major shade thrown at the narrow minded by John! Keep up the amazing work John, your novels are something truely remarkable and I believe that no knowledge should be banned from people. The ability to ban books in america is a horrific injustice to these students. But on the other hand props on having created a book so amazing that the people of narrow minded worldviews feel threatened by it
Looking for Alaska is honestly one of the best books I have ever read, and I am legitimately sorry for any of those people who may not have the opportunity to read it now. Good job, John.
+Bekah Burton Its sold at wal-marts all across the nation for about seven bucks. Anyone that wants a copy can find one. You can find used paper back copies on amazon even cheaper. Also just because a book is challenged does not mean its successful. My local library dismisses most of these, especially if the book is a Printz winner.
I'm with you! It's my favorite book of Johns and it's so eye opening
Carly's World Yeah, I've read all of his books, and that one for whatever reason strikes me as the most profound.
In which John gives a well-deserved shout-out to teachers and librarians and makes me love him even more...
John, while you brought up probably the main point that needed to be addressed, which was why the challenged scene was included, I think there was SO much left out of this video. You have expressed in many previous videos and blog posts the exactness of your defense of the matter, and if this video is to be THE video represent your stance on the matter, I personally think it could have been done better.
I have read Looking for Alaska, and I completely agree with your points. I think your writing was spot on as to an accurate depiction of academy life, whether or not school boards want to accept it. To think that your book has been challenged as much as it has been is ridiculous because your book does have a great message. So in general I must commend you for both writing such a well-written book, but also putting up with the decades's worth of backlash. Not all authors can handle that. I admire you a lot, John.
And how come Fifty Shades of Grey is number 2? Hell, it's got more explicit content or should I say the whole book is an explicit content! It's an erotic. While Looking For Alaska... jeez.
+Patrice Urie _Fifty Shades of Grey_ was banned because it's a shitty book that no one of any age should read.
Eristitia Oh yes, I apparently know. That's why I asked why it's number 2, it should've been rank 1, instead of Looking for Alaska.
+Patrice Urie erotic is one word, abusive and shittily written is another
+Patrice Urie But schools therefore are unlikely to carry Fifty Shades, and YA/kidlit is more likely to be challenged generally.
Patrice Urie exactly
I read the title literally for a second and got so confused as to why people couldn't look for Alaska...
10/10 book. 10/10 video. John, keep being you. You're a wonderful inspiration.
This is my favorite book of all time and I am so glad I found it. This book has helped me through many rough times and I don't think I would still be here without it.
Banned books are usually the best books...not all the time, but usually.
John just dropped the mic!
When I was in high school, we were required to read "If Beale Street Could Talk" By James Baldwin. There are some very explicit sex scenes in that book and it left the student body all a flutter. But it was not banned, nor did anyone even TRY to ban it. And we're talking the deep south in the mid-1970's here. Of all the books I had to read in high school, this one stuck with me the most. Not because it was a terrific book (though it was) but because it showed me that students could be trusted to read books with adult themes and have to experience no consequence in their world other than having read a great book.
There’s a guy in my county running for school board 100% based on how he “found this book” in a middle school library… and it’s not even in the county’s database/didn’t have a barcode to scan. But everyone thinks he’s Harold Hill, & this is River City. I am so sorry that these people want to ban your book, without reading it (I can only assume at this point, that they can not read… as it’s been over a year & they still have not read it!) People are so ridiculous. Thank you for this video!
I'm proud to say that Looking for Alaska is one of my favorite books!
Powerful. Couldn't agree more with you. It's usually the people with 'issues' who propose the banning. Censor what you can't come to terms with in yourself...
My English teacher has a pile of banned books in her room for people to read, won't be surprised to see yours
You were one of my favorite authors long before you became one of my favorite youtubers. I read Looking for Alaska in middle school (i'm 21 now) and recommended it to everyone, my exact words were "it will fuck your life up" That was the highest praise I could come up with at the time and it remains true. I think An Abundance of Katherines will always be my favorite though.
“Teenagers are critically engaged and thoughtful readers”... Wow john just made me realise I’m not an egg. Also, Looking for Alaska is one of my favourite books ever.
I love Looking For Alaska! I'm a sophomore and just moved to into a new district with extremely paranoid policies. I wish the powers that be would take into consideration how beneficial books or technology is for the students and the school atmosphere. It's sad that so many students aren't encouraged to read or learn about moving stories or important issues because someone else deems it "inappropriate" in a very uneducated way. DFTBA
and also..... HAMILTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I see you, John!)
So well spoken thanks for making this video, I look at books a whole different way now.
That one line you read from looking for Alaska felt like someone punched me through my verbal processing centre directly into my tear glands. I need to buy it now.
That's my favorite John Green book :( I think everyone should read it.
same!
Can we talk about how the very books that many children and teenagers need are being banned??? How people are trying to strip LGBTQ youth of the resources that could help them, take away these stories that tell them that they are not weird and not alone? It's scary, harmful, and completely unacceptable.
♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎
yes! this is *precisely* what I was thinking whilst reading though that list. it's ridiculous and homophobic and just generally pisses me off. the fact that books can get banned for having lgbtq+ protagonists makes me very angry and sad.
I know. People seem to be taking this lightly but I'm genuinely concerned :/ For me banning these books is one of the worst things people can do. And we wonder why people are homophobic! This could be one of the main reasons :(
+SomeoneCalledDana Yeah I was really upset to see descriptions like "anti-family" and people brazenly citing "homosexuality" as a good enough reason to challenge it. & the wonderful I Am Jazz on that list :( :( ugh.
Yeah. It really sucks to be perpetuating this idea that same-sex attraction is inherently dirty. That's a horrible message to encounter when you're young, even if you're just trying to come to terms with your sexuality on your own, let alone having to deal with anyone else's reactions.
I just realised he was John Green now, and I watch this channel for some time
We had to read this book as our novel study for English 12. I loved this story, it was the only book I've ever been forced to read that I ended up loving and ended up reading for a second and third time!
Looking for Alaska should be banned for the emotional turmoil it put me through for days after it. Why John! I trusted you! I trusted you John!
so much yes to that last line!
Looking For Alaska, Two Boys Kissing, and Fun Home are three of my all time favorite books.
These are cases in which my faves aren't problematic. Society is.
I am literally 6 years late but I just wanna say that I am extremely lucky to have been in the class that had this book as the book project
"Also if you have a world view that can be undone by a novel, let me submit that the problem is not with the novel." John's most unabashedly savage quote ever
"COndone public displays of affection"
IM SHTTING MY SELF WTF LOL
Better shower before you go out in public then. Or not, if that's your kinda thing. :)
***** XD
*cough* Dolores Umbridge
Right?! I was reading through the list and lost it when I got to that. "Oh no! Not PDA! Anything but that!!!"
Go to my high school, and it's everywhere.
That ending... you forgot this: *mic drop*
Hi, librarian here. I've been shelving books for a little over a year now, and I've found that parents that won't let a child read a book because it conflicts with their world views or they find it "inappropriate" (kid's section for books, mind you) are the kinds of people who will skip over inspired pieces like yours (which unfortunately rarely get checked out minus TFIOS) and go to magazines and poorly written pieces for quick entertainment after learning about more drama with the Kardashians. It saddens me to hear that this fantastic book is being silenced and prevented from getting to the hands of growing readers whose minds receive HUGE benefits from educating themselves about the world and the many amazing people that live on it through words contained in the pages of fantastic books like yours. Also, we're collectively pretty cool with the amount of exposure we get. Keep being awesome, and pour your cereal first. Please.
I'm a teacher and I approve this message.
is it just me or the beard gives him a rounder face?
Definitely
+RichyArg Specifically the thick beard with very short hair. Two weeks ago his hair was much longer so the beard didn't throw off the proportions as much.
I normally don't notice this sort of thing, but yeah this time it makes him look completely different.
count me in
I think so!
+RichyArg I hope it's just the beard, some medication can blow your face up like that and it's certainly not nice (to have).
So,... aggressively unerotic oral sex is more sexually explicit than Extreme BDSM?...I'm very proud of this world..
My Popular Novels teacher actually showed this video in class this year before we began reading Looking for Alaska, and a lot of the kids who weren't otherwise in the class, seemed very engaged in this video.
Looking for Alaska is one of my favorite books and, without a doubt, your best book.
_"Reasons: Homosexuality and others (condones public display of affection)"_
Ok that's just homophobic!
Nathan Conder The teachings of the Bible can be shoved down one’s throat. Often, however, the people shoving the Bible down your throat aren’t children.
As a high school teacher and therefore one of those highly trained, criminally underpaid and possibly more qualified professionals better able to make these decisions, I just want to say I don't know many students who read _Divergent_ without thinking it would be pretty cool to jump onto a moving train. Lord knows I do...
+juststeveschannel As a high school student, I can agree with this.
I am currently reading Looking For Alaska. I am currently 13 years old. I love to read and appreciate a good novel. To be completely honest I haven't really read to many of your novels. Mainly because of the fact I didn't like one of them. I read Will Greyson, Will Greyson, and loved it. A few days after finishing it I saw a quote from Looking For Alaska on Tumblr. I instantly thought that I needed to read it, but there was a problem. It's not in our school library. Nor the high schools. Nor the public library. It wasn't even on the website that is connected with other libraries. To say I was thoroughly pissed off would be an understatement. Then something amazing happened. The book showed up in the library. Yet, it didn't belong to the library, but I don't really care. I'm finally reading it, and as i thought, it's fucking fantastic.