@@jobriq5 The other way around, but there have to be John books with Hank's signature in them, from back before Hank was an author. When out on tour with John I'm sure Hank was asked to sign books. In any case there are a lot of New York Times bestseller Hank Green's Hanklerfish in New York Times bestseller John Green books. 😂
Me too!I live in Romania so I don't think that I'll be able to buy a signed copy but so happy for people that will! I own two signed books and they are my most prized possessions, I have no idea how much they're worth and frankly don't care. John should get a world record for sure!
I only started reading his books last August so all of mine are unsigned (actually I think my TATWD copy might be signed because it was cheaper than the unsigned version on Amazon lol)
When my grandfather was in his final month of battling cancer, he went out of his way to make sure I got a copy of The Fault in Our Stars for my birthday because he knew I was excited for it to come out. He didn’t know about the first editions all being signed, so when the book arrived with a signature he was blown away. He was so proud to be able to get me a signed copy of a book from one of my favorite authors, and it was all he could talk about when he gave it to me. Even if that signature doesn’t make my copy more valuable, it allowed a man to feel proud of himself during a time where his world was collapsing in on itself. I can’t thank John Green enough for that.
“Signing this many times doesn’t add value- except, of course, also, it does.” Yep. From all of us, massive thanks to John for this token of his appreciation.
I was just telling my husband this while we were watching John sign. He said, "That devalues his signature." and I said, "Yeah but the book means so much more to the reader because the author touched this page and hand-signed it." Its not rare, but it is more meaningful.
The point of signing was also specifically to devalue it so that no one had to pay more to get a personalized touch which, considering the age of his target audience, is a really nice thing to do.
> mad lad I...I feel like we’re at the point of de-stigmatizing mental health struggles where this goes back to being a loving joke about how much we want John to know how grateful we are for the parts of himself he has shown us.
John's love for the Lectrojog in every live stream is so infectious and makes my day a little bit better every time I see it. Here's to John and his miraculous machine still going strong from the '60s!
I have never doubted John's love of his readers, but that is because we see him talk about us. I appreciate his commitment, but I am really ok with him not seriously injuring himself for the next book. I would be ok with an awesome stamp!
I suspect it's a hobby many of us (humans) share in general... Some because they're thinking of ways to make life more efficient or convenient, and some simply because we get bored easily. ;o)
Speaking from the readers perspective, having that signature adds a lot of value. The signature in copy of TIFIOS is a bit half done and messy. I can imagine that John was tired by the time he got to my specific sheet, after god knows how many hours of signing, but he kept going anyway. I have dysgraphia, a disorder that makes handwriting difficult for me, so even though I’ve never signed my name a thousand times, I can appreciate what it feels like for your hand to fall short, despite your best intentions. It’s just a squiggle of sharpie, but it’s also a little piece of connection to the author that spans a thousand miles. A person made this book, and he wanted it to make me happy.
My mother was Harper Lee’s optometrist and I legit have a signed copy of To Kill a Mockingbird! Harper was quite an intimidating lady, but she was kind enough to sign my copy when I was reading it in seventh grade 💖
This reminds me of how the friends of the artist Keith Haring kept telling him to slow down and stop making art because he was making so much that it was decreasing in value. But he always kept creating. Because for him, it wasn't about the monetary value - it was about widespread accessibility, and sharing connection without bounds.
John and Hank having such a healthy supportive relationship as siblings warms my heart so much every time. They have inspired me to treat my younger siblings better and given me an insight into the types of things I should be proud of and should be encouraging in them. They give me hope for humanity and confidence in the human condition. This kind of positivity and supportiveness for each other is possible on a smaller scale with people who are less successful than these prolific amazing people. This is a real long way of saying thank you for making me smile hank :)
This is so true. I remember the first few Esther Day videos when their I Love Yous were so difficult for them to say, and they still don’t say it that often on camera, but over the last few years their willingness to be earnest about their love and support for each other has gone up significantly. I love that for them, and for us.
Maybe John should just pre-emptively sign pages for an hour once a week so that by the time he writes his next book he'll already have enough and won't have to hurt his wrist so much
When I was in 8th grade, I attended the first date of the TFIOS book tour. It was the day the book was released. I remember feeling like it was a monumental historical moment even before anyone knew how massive TFIOS would end up being. Seeing my copy get signed and hanklerfished before my very eyes is a memory I’ll never forget. I hope John doesn’t feel obligated to continue the tradition of signing hundreds of thousands of books because it seems exhausting and maddening. But I just wanted to say that we see it and appreciate it.
I like the way you phrased this, where you are causing them to be a collector. It happens all the time. Someone sees that I have a few tiny elephants on a shelf, they think I collect elephants, and they give me elephants as gifts. Those first elephants were also gifts. I have become a collector of elephants purely through the actions of other people. (Fortunately, I do like a good puppy-sized elephant!)
I feel like if you're a random person in a book store who doesn't know John, and you open a book and find his signature, the book is automatically more special and you're more likely to buy it.
@@johnstonjenny Quite possibly. But I also think he might be hurting them too. By doing something like signing the entire first edition he's encouraging people who do know who he is, to pre-order the book. And the easy way to do that is Amazon. While I prefer to go to a book store to buy a book, going to a bookstore to order a book, and then some months later going again to pick it up, is not something I've ever done. I have however pre-ordered books from Amazon, which is a company I otherwise do my best to avoid.
And of course, the livestreams wherein john was signing added value, too, because it gave us an opportunity to spend time together as a community. Don't forget the self care, nerdfighters! DFTBA!
The signature definitely feels more valuable after attending the livestreams, as well as whole other value of those times spent with the community. Self care and DFTBA to you too :)
Me: "I'm such a big fan that I should probably pre-order so I can finally have a signed copy of one of his books." John: "I'm never doing this again." Me: *pre-orders harder*
I have felt such gratitude toward John for all the work he has put into signing the pre-orders. One of those books will be coming to live with me and part of me feels bad for making him do that extra work of signing it but another part of me knows he was doing it as a way of giving back and I appreciate it more than I can express.
1:22 I haven't finished the video yet but my copy of The Fault In Our Stars actually has two signatures! So this explains that! Edit: 1:55 see this is the consequence of posting your comment before you finish the video but I just got excited
I mean the value of one signed book will decrease if he signs more, but the sum of the value to everyone who gets those books would really really outweigh that so I think that's pretty awesome
Honestly I don't care how rare a signature is! If my book is signed by the author (whom I love) I feel like I have something which came directly from them. It adds a personal touch, almost as if your copy has been blessed by the author😭
Same. Honestly, I would’ve been pretty bummed if my copy of TAR came and it wasn’t signed due to a misprint, even if that increased the monetary value.
This made me so emotional because I feel like that thing about imagining something and finding a way to make it a reality is something John greatly admires in Hank and so hearing Hank acknowledge and compliment that in John is just 😭
This is what I love about you and John. When you guys find value in something, especially if it's something that isn't monetary value, you two just...dive head first straight into it.
Signing a book you wrote is giving something special, something yours to the reader. Having a signed book feels like knowing the author, like really knowing the person. Thanks for doing this John.. Love 💖
I asked for turtles all the way down for Christmas a while back. My sister gave it to me and when I opened it up my heart did a pitter-patter and my eyes filled with tears. I own every John Green book but never got a signed copy. I couldn’t stop smiling. Authors often don’t seem real to me. Their stories are but not the people who wrote them. And that signature hit different lol.
I hope John knows how much everyone of his viewers and readers LOVES him, he's literally been someone that I've admired for 70% of my life and I wouldn't have it another way
I buy most of my books electronically these days, but I pre-order hard copies of John and Hank's books for three reasons. 1. I know I'll love them. 2. I feel like they're my friends because I've been watching their videos for years and I support my friends. 3. The signature makes me feel a connection - and I might get lucky and get a doodled on page!
As a ‘sales thing’ the signature worked for me and I’m so grateful. I didn’t know about The Anthropocene Reviewed, or Vlogbrothers, and I even haven’t read TFIOS but I saw a copy of Anthropocene Reviewed at my local bookstore thinking, ‘that’s cool, the guy who does crash course wrote a book and signed and it’s now in a bookshop in Southwest England’. I bought the book and I loved it so much, and reading it had such an impact on me and my partner that I am glad the ‘signed copy’ sticker drew my attention to it.
I love how obviously proud you are of your brother even as you rib him a bit. It's obvious to us watching how much you respect and look up to each other. I lost my sister 18 years ago and still miss her terribly even though it's been longer that I've been without her than I had with her now. Take care of each other.
this is so true my connection with you guys has been so strong, and john talking about his OCD has helped me so much, and having TATWD made me so happy and the fact that it was signed felt like a personal thing we had even though i KNOW thousands of others had the same “ special thing” it still felt like a thing between all of us like this unkept secret that we all shared
I can confirm that 15 year old me cried in a target when I found a signed TFIOS in 2014. I knew first printings were signed but it was two years after release and I never thought I would be able to find one with a signature. Mostly because I was late to the party and the popularity of the book had increased because of the movie release. It means so much to your readers that you sign your books. Even if it decreases the value of my book, it makes me love it more.
I've been a nerdfighter for years but I never got a signed copy of any of John's books. So I leapt at the chance to preorder The Anthropocene Reviewed; it's valuable to us.
Story Time: I once found a copy of looking for alaska in a very old local bookstore on some corner in some seaside town on the west coast. I noticed it didn't have a gold sticker on it, and thought it looked exceptionally sleak, so i got it. I have gone to many nerdfighter things ( 'WHOSE BALTO?') and have had many things signed. But ONCE, in Bellingham WA, in 2010, when John Green was at the young adult literature conference i was attending, I handed him this copy to sign. It was a first edition hard cover without the golden printz sticker. He paused, when he saw the cover, and looked up at me. "Are you sure you want me to sign this?" "Yeah." "It's just... this one is going to be exceptionally less valuable with my signature in it." I was confused. "I'm not going to sell it." "Are you sure?" "/yes/" "....Well Alright," he signed, "To Lyssandra, Best Wishes, J scribble 2010." This book got me through a very weird and difficult time in high school and now I get to occasionally pull it off my bookshelf to astonish my nerdfighter (now millennial adult) friends. Also The about author says "He is now a commentator for NPR's all things considered and NPR's chicago affiliate." which is just a delightful time capsule certificate of presence.
For some reason this video gives me SO MUCH HOPE. Like.... we can create value in the world just by being human and kind. Because John’s signature is now a kindness. He does that for us. ❤️
I recently picked up a book for class and discovered it was signed by the author. I was thrilled! I immediately thought of John signing all those sheets of paper that would end up in his books and wondered if this author did the same because John Green made it a thing. In any case, it made the book more special to me. I often sell books I buy for classes but I am very much considering keeping this one and the signature is one reason.
I recently started watching these videos, even if I had known about this channel for years, I had never actually subscribed. You two have played such an important role in the past 7 years of my life. Scishow kept me interested in science when nothing else did, and Crashcourse has helped me pass so many exams. But even farther than that... the first book I ever read in English (my first language is French) was The fault in our stars, I remember hunting it down at a target in Maine while on summer vacation because I really wanted to read the book in its original language, not a translation. I’m mad at myself for just now getting to know a little more about the humans who have played such a huge role in my life. You’re most likely never going to read this but thank you. Your work has forever changed my life in an amazing way and I’m just now starting to realize how much of an impact you two have had. Again, thank you for doing all you do.
I'm just hyped to have a book with John signature on it because it feels more human and personal... and I think i would really like John as a person if I got to know him irl - I certainly love what I know of him now :)
The feeling of connection with John as the author definitely adds a non-fungible value for me. And furthermore kinda adds value to all my books in thinking about the authors behind them and our connection through my reading
Said starting at 2:36: "My thoughts are that this is a kind of tangible symbol of appreciation for the reader." How is it Hank always manages to put something into words some of us already thought of, yet that in and of itself is valuable because it's said in a new way? Just...HOW?! I love it!
This just reminds me of the line from Notting Hill, when Julia Roberts's character is looking at books and notices one signed by the author, and Hugh Grant responds, "Yes, we couldn't stop him. If you can find an unsigned copy. It's worth an absolute fortune."
Honestly, if I had a signed version, i would feel incredibly special, and it's a wonderful thing John signed so many! so congratulations john! You are a great human being, that makes every person that gets a signed copy feel special. That's beautiful
Just knowing that a piece of my book has passed through the author's hands, for sure, makes it so much more valuable to me. It's a piece of them personally saying, "Hey you. I hope you like the way I put all these words in order." And I nearly shattered a window with the squeal I made when I opened my copy of TATWD and saw a Hanklerfish.
The words being the author's but a machine putting them there makes me think about how sometimes there is a printed signature in a book. It also came from the author a machine also put that there! Because John put his own signature there himself, it makes me appreciate my signed copies of TATWD even more ❤
Also, the livestreams that have come out of the signing are very valuable themselves!! They have helped me through some tough times and that is a meta-content value I will forever appreciate.
i work in theatre, and John’s signing of the first printings of his books in this ritualistic manor has always reminded me of the bow actors take at the end of the show in that it is a big gesture that can appear to be grandiose and self congratulatory when what it really is is a thank you to the audience for their attention and patronage. it always makes me feel appreciated as a reader/viewer/fan
Anyone not familiar with the Brothers Green, upon hearing about the content of this video would think that this was an insult video, "haha, your signature actually makes the books worth less," but instead Hank being the lovely chap that he is, instead makes it a lovely message of affection and accomplishment. Delightful.
I told him that he broke the record during the live stream for most signed books but he said even if he did, he wouldn’t want to hold that title. And I respect that ✊🏼🙂
A couple years ago I saw two copies of The Fault in Our Stars in the clearance section of a used book store, with one signed and the other not. Both were only $2.99. If only I'd seen this then.
I love those signatures. It feels personal. As with most things in this lovely land of Nerdfighteria, the signing creates a sense of belonging. One of my favorite parts of getting a new John Green book is the anticipation of discovering the signature page. I hope I get a spiral or a doodle one day, but a signature is still special.
I don't know why THIS is the vlogbrothers video I'm crying about today--I guess it's because I just started rereading tfios and I have a signed copy and was thinking about how special that felt to me at the time, even though I've never read this specific copy, and... you're right. It doesn't make it worth more money. But it is worth more to me, and that's why I love it, and knowing that you and John are both aware of the kind of nonmonetary (antimonetary?) value your connection with your readers has like that... it makes me feel seen? It makes me feel like I'm a part of something, just for choosing to read and agree and taking the ideas out into my life. I'm not super involved in the nerdfighter community, but I'm one of the hundreds of thousands of people that made John Green sign a piece of paper to make a book worth less. Thank you both, so much.
i'm glad he signed them. i preordered one XD i mean, his signature might make them less valuable in a numbers way, but it makes them more valuable to me. i'm going to college to be an author, and john (unknowingly) has taught me a lot. so, having someone that is currently leaving my dream sign my book is a value nothing can replicate
I love that you guys do this. And I think the signature for us readers is like having a personal connection not only with the author but that book as well. I would love to see you guys at a meet to get books signed.
THANK YOU HANK! The fault in our stars 1st addition was gifted to me for my then 7th anniversary. It came unsigned and I was devastated when they finally shipped. Now I feel a little better having something a little special even though I'd still loved a signed copy eventually
Literally Googled "least valuable signature" last week to see if somebody in the wider world had had the same thought process behind this video. Glad to see John being recognized for how little his signature is worth 😂
I agree Hank, signing the book makes it live in a different way. I'm very excited to get my signed copy of the Anthropocene Reviewed because I love you guys and it'll be really meaningful to me to have something that John took the time to personally sign (and at a slight personal cost it seems like with his last video lol) and that is very meaningful to me. I know you guys care about us a lot and thank you.
I want any one of my siblings to have (& vocalize) as much respect for me as Hank obviously has for John. (The cool thing is, we all know John reciprocates that respect.). What a wonderful pair of people. ❤️
I am a staunch lover of audiobooks. I preordered John’s book as a physical copy because there was a human connection to the author included. Thank you to John for wanting to make that connection and to Hank for poetically summing it up.
Over the past few weeks of my life, I have become a thing that I doubt I have ever been b4, and that is a FanGirl- at 56. I started the videos at the beginning, and have now just passed the 1K video mark-- which was shocking that I had watched so many. I love u guys- your energy, optimism, and especially how you own your power as forces for change in the world.
I feel like John's signature decreasing the monetary value of his books would be extremely good news to him.
He should start signing other authors’ books to devalue them
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@@jobriq5 lol brilliant ive been laughing for minutes
@@jobriq5 The other way around, but there have to be John books with Hank's signature in them, from back before Hank was an author. When out on tour with John I'm sure Hank was asked to sign books. In any case there are a lot of New York Times bestseller Hank Green's Hanklerfish in New York Times bestseller John Green books. 😂
It's certainly good news for Sarah
The fact that I don’t own a signed copy of any of John’s books is borderline impressive at this point
Haha, only if you own copies of his books that aren't signed.
Me too!I live in Romania so I don't think that I'll be able to buy a signed copy but so happy for people that will! I own two signed books and they are my most prized possessions, I have no idea how much they're worth and frankly don't care. John should get a world record for sure!
I only started reading his books last August so all of mine are unsigned (actually I think my TATWD copy might be signed because it was cheaper than the unsigned version on Amazon lol)
then again, most of humanity doesn't own a signed copy.
I have a signed copy of TFIOS but I dream of having him sign a copy of my other JG books if I/WHEN I meet him in person
When my grandfather was in his final month of battling cancer, he went out of his way to make sure I got a copy of The Fault in Our Stars for my birthday because he knew I was excited for it to come out. He didn’t know about the first editions all being signed, so when the book arrived with a signature he was blown away. He was so proud to be able to get me a signed copy of a book from one of my favorite authors, and it was all he could talk about when he gave it to me. Even if that signature doesn’t make my copy more valuable, it allowed a man to feel proud of himself during a time where his world was collapsing in on itself. I can’t thank John Green enough for that.
That's beautiful, made me tear up.
@@stchiap me, too
😭😭😭
@@stchiap Same here.
Thanks for sharing this.
“Signing this many times doesn’t add value- except, of course, also, it does.” Yep. From all of us, massive thanks to John for this token of his appreciation.
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I was just telling my husband this while we were watching John sign. He said, "That devalues his signature." and I said, "Yeah but the book means so much more to the reader because the author touched this page and hand-signed it." Its not rare, but it is more meaningful.
The point of signing was also specifically to devalue it so that no one had to pay more to get a personalized touch which, considering the age of his target audience, is a really nice thing to do.
OSCrazy07 EXACTLY!!!!👌
The individual signatures are devalued, but I would argue that the total value put out into the world is greater, just more spread.
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John deserves to be in the world record book
He is a mad lad for signing that many
The real question is will he sign all the first editions of that record book
> mad lad
I...I feel like we’re at the point of de-stigmatizing mental health struggles where this goes back to being a loving joke about how much we want John to know how grateful we are for the parts of himself he has shown us.
Andrew Farrell historically of course that phrase has negative connotations , but i personally have only heard in situations of admiration
I mean, it's not as impressive as the number of TH-cam comments you've made.
Not in Guiness one, though. They're horrible.
All hail the electro-jogger for helping John make this a thing!
When I first heard the term "electro-jogger" I thought it was a reference to some 80's home workout machine
John's love for the Lectrojog in every live stream is so infectious and makes my day a little bit better every time I see it. Here's to John and his miraculous machine still going strong from the '60s!
@@hjpev6469 😂😂😂😂
I am printing many manuals today for mailing, and each time I pull one off the copier I lust for the Lectrojogger.
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I have never doubted John's love of his readers, but that is because we see him talk about us. I appreciate his commitment, but I am really ok with him not seriously injuring himself for the next book. I would be ok with an awesome stamp!
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If this isn’t a way to say “I love you” without those words, I don’t know what is
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Owwww my heart this is so presh
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Well, it's not yet Esther Day, so Hank can't just come out and say it 😉
Now Hank needs to sign his name 250,000 times to catch up with TikTok sensation John Green :)
NOPE! I literally did 20,000 and was like, "OH GOD NO NO NO NO"
@@vlogbrothers I feel like your signature is harder to write than John's though
@@vlogbrothers Thank you for my hanklerfish. It's one of the things on my bookshelf I value most.
No, I think causing a person physical harm should not be encouraged.
"You like to try to imagine different ways of doing things" I wonder if it runs in the family
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I suspect it's a hobby many of us (humans) share in general... Some because they're thinking of ways to make life more efficient or convenient, and some simply because we get bored easily. ;o)
Speaking from the readers perspective, having that signature adds a lot of value. The signature in copy of TIFIOS is a bit half done and messy. I can imagine that John was tired by the time he got to my specific sheet, after god knows how many hours of signing, but he kept going anyway. I have dysgraphia, a disorder that makes handwriting difficult for me, so even though I’ve never signed my name a thousand times, I can appreciate what it feels like for your hand to fall short, despite your best intentions. It’s just a squiggle of sharpie, but it’s also a little piece of connection to the author that spans a thousand miles. A person made this book, and he wanted it to make me happy.
Awwwww
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I love the idea that eventually, someone will pay an extra $30 for a copy with a Hanklerfish in it, and have to explain that to their loved ones
Honestly I probably would 😅
my sister ended up with 3 copies of AART because she had the hardback and the paperback and then found a hanklerfish
@@tmntallthewaydw Excellent catch for her!
My first ever signed John Green book was tatwd and it was Hanklerfished!! It is my most prized possession, but my dad was very, very confused
I found TFioS with a hanklerfish about 6 years ago in a used bookstore and I may have cried.
My mother was Harper Lee’s optometrist and I legit have a signed copy of To Kill a Mockingbird! Harper was quite an intimidating lady, but she was kind enough to sign my copy when I was reading it in seventh grade 💖
wow that's actually really really cool
Harper Lee must have felt really badass knowing she had the power to singlehandedly raise the value of a book.
Holy COW
woah
Okay, that's awesome.
i love that the increased availability of the signed book doesn’t make the signature any less meaningful or valuable to me
THIS
Exactly!
This reminds me of how the friends of the artist Keith Haring kept telling him to slow down and stop making art because he was making so much that it was decreasing in value. But he always kept creating. Because for him, it wasn't about the monetary value - it was about widespread accessibility, and sharing connection without bounds.
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His signature is priceless to his readers
I love my J scribbled Paper Towns!
John and Hank having such a healthy supportive relationship as siblings warms my heart so much every time.
They have inspired me to treat my younger siblings better and given me an insight into the types of things I should be proud of and should be encouraging in them.
They give me hope for humanity and confidence in the human condition. This kind of positivity and supportiveness for each other is possible on a smaller scale with people who are less successful than these prolific amazing people.
This is a real long way of saying thank you for making me smile hank :)
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wholesome :)
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This is so true. I remember the first few Esther Day videos when their I Love Yous were so difficult for them to say, and they still don’t say it that often on camera, but over the last few years their willingness to be earnest about their love and support for each other has gone up significantly. I love that for them, and for us.
Hahaha I love how this feels like Hank desperately trying to explain economics to John
1:08 "But also not." 2:15 "Except of course also it does".
What a roller-coaster ride that was
Hank was like "Listen just trust me"
And we were all like, "Okay", and then cried a little
I said john should get a guiness world record on the stream and he said it made him feel uncomfortable
"why would anyone do this" Have you SEEN the lectrojog?
This is one thing I've always loved about John. His signature is so obtainable and it helps readers feel important and part of the community.
Maybe John should just pre-emptively sign pages for an hour once a week so that by the time he writes his next book he'll already have enough and won't have to hurt his wrist so much
hahahaha this yes
That's my sentiment exactly! Like, sign 20 before bed every night. It takes him 5 years to write a book. That's a decent chunk
Hank does new things, john does things different. What a duo!
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When I was in 8th grade, I attended the first date of the TFIOS book tour. It was the day the book was released. I remember feeling like it was a monumental historical moment even before anyone knew how massive TFIOS would end up being. Seeing my copy get signed and hanklerfished before my very eyes is a memory I’ll never forget. I hope John doesn’t feel obligated to continue the tradition of signing hundreds of thousands of books because it seems exhausting and maddening. But I just wanted to say that we see it and appreciate it.
I love John's signature value.
I love the signed editions I have of John's (and Hank's!) books. They make me feel closer to you both. It makes it feel more human.
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and if that's not value I don't know what is
My copy of TATWD also says “DFTBA.” Thank you John for your care and compassion for your readers!
Lucky, lucky duck!
I have always maintained that if you give a human being 3 of anything, that human will be come a collector of that thing.
Are you saying I need to buy another John Green book? 😅
Are you saying that I'm a hot dog collector? 🤔
@@Alfonso162008 If the bun fits. 😉 Some collections are more ephemeral than others.
@@bluetoes591 It's a moral imperative. 😉
I like the way you phrased this, where you are causing them to be a collector. It happens all the time. Someone sees that I have a few tiny elephants on a shelf, they think I collect elephants, and they give me elephants as gifts. Those first elephants were also gifts. I have become a collector of elephants purely through the actions of other people. (Fortunately, I do like a good puppy-sized elephant!)
I feel like if you're a random person in a book store who doesn't know John, and you open a book and find his signature, the book is automatically more special and you're more likely to buy it.
So he is helping book stores too!
@@johnstonjenny Quite possibly. But I also think he might be hurting them too. By doing something like signing the entire first edition he's encouraging people who do know who he is, to pre-order the book. And the easy way to do that is Amazon. While I prefer to go to a book store to buy a book, going to a bookstore to order a book, and then some months later going again to pick it up, is not something I've ever done. I have however pre-ordered books from Amazon, which is a company I otherwise do my best to avoid.
And of course, the livestreams wherein john was signing added value, too, because it gave us an opportunity to spend time together as a community.
Don't forget the self care, nerdfighters! DFTBA!
The signature definitely feels more valuable after attending the livestreams, as well as whole other value of those times spent with the community. Self care and DFTBA to you too :)
and the livestream admins add value by encouraging a positive, hydrated community!
@@MayaFarrugia ++ Can do. Spending time with our community is so special.
@@ruthiecarroll312 Aww, you're so sweet! We've got a pretty great mod team. ^^
I've loved the livestreams. Thanks so much for your presence and self care reminders @untappedinkwell
John's signature simultaneously decreases the cost of something while increasing its value.
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Me: "I'm such a big fan that I should probably pre-order so I can finally have a signed copy of one of his books."
John: "I'm never doing this again."
Me: *pre-orders harder*
Is it just me or did y’all cry when Hank endorsed the book without any sort of reminder? Time flies 😭
😂 Such growth!
John's behind the camera with a gun to get Hank to say it
@@preatypup 😂😂😂
Wow Riham goel you’re so cool
@@eeshandhawan6888 thank you!!😄
I have felt such gratitude toward John for all the work he has put into signing the pre-orders. One of those books will be coming to live with me and part of me feels bad for making him do that extra work of signing it but another part of me knows he was doing it as a way of giving back and I appreciate it more than I can express.
"Is something possible?
It should be.
Let's figure out how to do it!"
1:22 I haven't finished the video yet but my copy of The Fault In Our Stars actually has two signatures! So this explains that!
Edit: 1:55 see this is the consequence of posting your comment before you finish the video but I just got excited
My copy of AART has two signatures!
I mean the value of one signed book will decrease if he signs more, but the sum of the value to everyone who gets those books would really really outweigh that so I think that's pretty awesome
Honestly I don't care how rare a signature is! If my book is signed by the author (whom I love) I feel like I have something which came directly from them. It adds a personal touch, almost as if your copy has been blessed by the author😭
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Same. Honestly, I would’ve been pretty bummed if my copy of TAR came and it wasn’t signed due to a misprint, even if that increased the monetary value.
This made me so emotional because I feel like that thing about imagining something and finding a way to make it a reality is something John greatly admires in Hank and so hearing Hank acknowledge and compliment that in John is just 😭
Hank’s book marketing has come a long way. John must be so proud.
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Hank marketing John's book is probably the best way to pay homage to him.
This is what I love about you and John. When you guys find value in something, especially if it's something that isn't monetary value, you two just...dive head first straight into it.
Signing a book you wrote is giving something special, something yours to the reader. Having a signed book feels like knowing the author, like really knowing the person.
Thanks for doing this John..
Love 💖
I asked for turtles all the way down for Christmas a while back. My sister gave it to me and when I opened it up my heart did a pitter-patter and my eyes filled with tears. I own every John Green book but never got a signed copy. I couldn’t stop smiling. Authors often don’t seem real to me. Their stories are but not the people who wrote them. And that signature hit different lol.
You can tell John you love him even when it’s not Ester Day.
If John makes it into the Guiness World Records book, will he sign each copy of that? Can he be stopped?
I really hope he wouldn't sign the Guinness book if he is added to it, but I don't think anyone can stop this man when he puts his mind to a task. :)
It's world records all the way down.
I hope John knows how much everyone of his viewers and readers LOVES him, he's literally been someone that I've admired for 70% of my life and I wouldn't have it another way
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i wonder how many people this is true for
Can confirm
I buy most of my books electronically these days, but I pre-order hard copies of John and Hank's books for three reasons. 1. I know I'll love them. 2. I feel like they're my friends because I've been watching their videos for years and I support my friends. 3. The signature makes me feel a connection - and I might get lucky and get a doodled on page!
Esther Day levels of brotherly love expression
As a ‘sales thing’ the signature worked for me and I’m so grateful. I didn’t know about The Anthropocene Reviewed, or Vlogbrothers, and I even haven’t read TFIOS but I saw a copy of Anthropocene Reviewed at my local bookstore thinking, ‘that’s cool, the guy who does crash course wrote a book and signed and it’s now in a bookshop in Southwest England’. I bought the book and I loved it so much, and reading it had such an impact on me and my partner that I am glad the ‘signed copy’ sticker drew my attention to it.
I don't know why, but I love the idea of John's signature actually subtracting monetary value from an object.
Love how the narrative was flipped from collectors market value, to individual reader's humanity & gratitude value. What a cool concept 😊
I love how obviously proud you are of your brother even as you rib him a bit. It's obvious to us watching how much you respect and look up to each other. I lost my sister 18 years ago and still miss her terribly even though it's been longer that I've been without her than I had with her now. Take care of each other.
Sorry for your loss
I like it when the brothers say nice things to each other. It's nice.
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this is so true my connection with you guys has been so strong, and john talking about his OCD has helped me so much, and having TATWD made me so happy and the fact that it was signed felt like a personal thing we had even though i KNOW thousands of others had the same “ special thing” it still felt like a thing between all of us like this unkept secret that we all shared
I can confirm that 15 year old me cried in a target when I found a signed TFIOS in 2014.
I knew first printings were signed but it was two years after release and I never thought I would be able to find one with a signature. Mostly because I was late to the party and the popularity of the book had increased because of the movie release.
It means so much to your readers that you sign your books. Even if it decreases the value of my book, it makes me love it more.
I've been a nerdfighter for years but I never got a signed copy of any of John's books. So I leapt at the chance to preorder The Anthropocene Reviewed; it's valuable to us.
Welp, this made me cry. I’m so thankful to be part of this beautiful community that was planted by such hopeful, motivated people.
Story Time:
I once found a copy of looking for alaska in a very old local bookstore on some corner in some seaside town on the west coast. I noticed it didn't have a gold sticker on it, and thought it looked exceptionally sleak, so i got it.
I have gone to many nerdfighter things ( 'WHOSE BALTO?') and have had many things signed.
But ONCE, in Bellingham WA, in 2010, when John Green was at the young adult literature conference i was attending, I handed him this copy to sign.
It was a first edition hard cover without the golden printz sticker.
He paused, when he saw the cover, and looked up at me.
"Are you sure you want me to sign this?"
"Yeah."
"It's just... this one is going to be exceptionally less valuable with my signature in it."
I was confused. "I'm not going to sell it."
"Are you sure?"
"/yes/"
"....Well Alright,"
he signed, "To Lyssandra, Best Wishes, J scribble 2010."
This book got me through a very weird and difficult time in high school and now I get to occasionally pull it off my bookshelf to astonish my nerdfighter (now millennial adult) friends.
Also The about author says "He is now a commentator for NPR's all things considered and NPR's chicago affiliate." which is just a delightful time capsule certificate of presence.
All Hank needed to do was add a 5 star rating and Hank would’ve done an Anthropocene review of John’s signatures in his book, Anthropocene Reviewed.
I just had to look this video up again as I received my signed copy. So I could share with the world.
For some reason this video gives me SO MUCH HOPE. Like.... we can create value in the world just by being human and kind. Because John’s signature is now a kindness. He does that for us. ❤️
He sure does! The generous artful act is a gift to the reader, and that really is prioritized more than the money.
I love when you guys promote each other's books & stuff! It's nice.
I recently picked up a book for class and discovered it was signed by the author. I was thrilled! I immediately thought of John signing all those sheets of paper that would end up in his books and wondered if this author did the same because John Green made it a thing. In any case, it made the book more special to me. I often sell books I buy for classes but I am very much considering keeping this one and the signature is one reason.
I recently started watching these videos, even if I had known about this channel for years, I had never actually subscribed. You two have played such an important role in the past 7 years of my life. Scishow kept me interested in science when nothing else did, and Crashcourse has helped me pass so many exams. But even farther than that... the first book I ever read in English (my first language is French) was The fault in our stars, I remember hunting it down at a target in Maine while on summer vacation because I really wanted to read the book in its original language, not a translation. I’m mad at myself for just now getting to know a little more about the humans who have played such a huge role in my life. You’re most likely never going to read this but thank you. Your work has forever changed my life in an amazing way and I’m just now starting to realize how much of an impact you two have had. Again, thank you for doing all you do.
I'm just hyped to have a book with John signature on it because it feels more human and personal... and I think i would really like John as a person if I got to know him irl - I certainly love what I know of him now :)
John is a gem and we're lucky to know him via the interwebs. What a lovely gesture and acknowledgement this was Hank 😁
I am so excited to get my copy! This will be the first first-edition of any book I'll have, and it just feels right to be coming from a Green
The feeling of connection with John as the author definitely adds a non-fungible value for me. And furthermore kinda adds value to all my books in thinking about the authors behind them and our connection through my reading
Said starting at 2:36:
"My thoughts are that this is a kind of tangible symbol of appreciation for the reader."
How is it Hank always manages to put something into words some of us already thought of, yet that in and of itself is valuable because it's said in a new way? Just...HOW?! I love it!
@Kaumudi H True! :D
This just reminds me of the line from Notting Hill, when Julia Roberts's character is looking at books and notices one signed by the author, and Hugh Grant responds, "Yes, we couldn't stop him. If you can find an unsigned copy. It's worth an absolute fortune."
omg me too
Honestly, if I had a signed version, i would feel incredibly special, and it's a wonderful thing John signed so many! so congratulations john! You are a great human being, that makes every person that gets a signed copy feel special. That's beautiful
Just knowing that a piece of my book has passed through the author's hands, for sure, makes it so much more valuable to me. It's a piece of them personally saying, "Hey you. I hope you like the way I put all these words in order." And I nearly shattered a window with the squeal I made when I opened my copy of TATWD and saw a Hanklerfish.
The “tangible sign of appreciation for the reader” is EXACTLY how I see these signatures.
I appreciate you: and thank you for appreciating me! 🖤
The words being the author's but a machine putting them there makes me think about how sometimes there is a printed signature in a book. It also came from the author a machine also put that there! Because John put his own signature there himself, it makes me appreciate my signed copies of TATWD even more ❤
Also, the livestreams that have come out of the signing are very valuable themselves!! They have helped me through some tough times and that is a meta-content value I will forever appreciate.
John Green signed my arm at a convention and my boss lowered my salary.
John's signatures as a gift to the reader are lovely, and so is Hank admiring him for it ^_^ feels like a mini Esther Day
It still surprises me every time one of you uploads one of these profound videos, but i guess i should expect it by now. Love you guys.
i work in theatre, and John’s signing of the first printings of his books in this ritualistic manor has always reminded me of the bow actors take at the end of the show in that it is a big gesture that can appear to be grandiose and self congratulatory when what it really is is a thank you to the audience for their attention and patronage. it always makes me feel appreciated as a reader/viewer/fan
Anyone not familiar with the Brothers Green, upon hearing about the content of this video would think that this was an insult video, "haha, your signature actually makes the books worth less," but instead Hank being the lovely chap that he is, instead makes it a lovely message of affection and accomplishment. Delightful.
I told him that he broke the record during the live stream for most signed books but he said even if he did, he wouldn’t want to hold that title. And I respect that ✊🏼🙂
Love it when the Greens are supportive and proud and say nice things about each other. ❤️❤️❤️
A couple years ago I saw two copies of The Fault in Our Stars in the clearance section of a used book store, with one signed and the other not. Both were only $2.99. If only I'd seen this then.
Which one did you buy?
It's crazy to think that a page of my future book will have had been in John Green's house. Wild.
I love those signatures. It feels personal. As with most things in this lovely land of Nerdfighteria, the signing creates a sense of belonging. One of my favorite parts of getting a new John Green book is the anticipation of discovering the signature page. I hope I get a spiral or a doodle one day, but a signature is still special.
I don't know why THIS is the vlogbrothers video I'm crying about today--I guess it's because I just started rereading tfios and I have a signed copy and was thinking about how special that felt to me at the time, even though I've never read this specific copy, and... you're right. It doesn't make it worth more money. But it is worth more to me, and that's why I love it, and knowing that you and John are both aware of the kind of nonmonetary (antimonetary?) value your connection with your readers has like that... it makes me feel seen? It makes me feel like I'm a part of something, just for choosing to read and agree and taking the ideas out into my life. I'm not super involved in the nerdfighter community, but I'm one of the hundreds of thousands of people that made John Green sign a piece of paper to make a book worth less. Thank you both, so much.
The love and respect you two have is the most wholesome thing I know of in existence and deserves its own award.
i'm glad he signed them. i preordered one XD i mean, his signature might make them less valuable in a numbers way, but it makes them more valuable to me. i'm going to college to be an author, and john (unknowingly) has taught me a lot. so, having someone that is currently leaving my dream sign my book is a value nothing can replicate
I love that you guys do this. And I think the signature for us readers is like having a personal connection not only with the author but that book as well. I would love to see you guys at a meet to get books signed.
John effectively “flattened the curve.” The demand curve. For anything signed by him.
This touched my heart. There is just. So much love here, you know?
THANK YOU HANK! The fault in our stars 1st addition was gifted to me for my then 7th anniversary. It came unsigned and I was devastated when they finally shipped. Now I feel a little better having something a little special even though I'd still loved a signed copy eventually
Literally Googled "least valuable signature" last week to see if somebody in the wider world had had the same thought process behind this video. Glad to see John being recognized for how little his signature is worth 😂
I agree Hank, signing the book makes it live in a different way. I'm very excited to get my signed copy of the Anthropocene Reviewed because I love you guys and it'll be really meaningful to me to have something that John took the time to personally sign (and at a slight personal cost it seems like with his last video lol) and that is very meaningful to me. I know you guys care about us a lot and thank you.
I want any one of my siblings to have (& vocalize) as much respect for me as Hank obviously has for John. (The cool thing is, we all know John reciprocates that respect.). What a wonderful pair of people. ❤️
I am a staunch lover of audiobooks. I preordered John’s book as a physical copy because there was a human connection to the author included. Thank you to John for wanting to make that connection and to Hank for poetically summing it up.
Over the past few weeks of my life, I have become a thing that I doubt I have ever been b4, and that is a FanGirl- at 56. I started the videos at the beginning, and have now just passed the 1K video mark-- which was shocking that I had watched so many. I love u guys- your energy, optimism, and especially how you own your power as forces for change in the world.