John Green (writer)
Encyclopedia
John Michael Green is an American
author
of young adult fiction and a YouTube
vlogger.
, a boarding and day school outside of Birmingham, Alabama
. He graduated from Kenyon College
in 2000 with a double major in English and Religious Studies. His first book, Looking for Alaska
, was largely inspired by his time at Indian Springs School.
Green lived for several years after that in Chicago
, where he worked for Booklist
Magazine, a book review journal. While there, he reviewed hundreds of books of all varieties; his reviewing specialties included literary fiction, books about Islam
, and books about conjoined twins
. Green lived in New York City
for two years while his wife attended graduate school. Green's book criticism has also appeared in The New York Times Books Review. Green has also written for National Public Radio's All Things Considered
, for Chicago's public radio station, WBEZ, and for the now defunct internet magazine KnotMag.
ran a video blog project called Brotherhood 2.0. The original project ran from January 1 to December 31, 2007, with the premise that the brothers would cease all text-based ("textual") communication for the year and instead converse by video blogs
, made available to the public via YouTube
(where they are known as the "vlogbrothers") and on their Brotherhood 2.0 website.
The duo also created a sub-project of Vlogbrothers called Truth or Fail, a game show that is most frequently hosted by Hank in addition to a variety of guest hosts.
On January 21, 2010, Green went on paternity leave and "Secret Sister" Maureen Johnson made videos in his place until February 10, 2010. John's only vlog during that period was on January 28, when he read from J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye
as a eulogy/tribute to the author; Miles, the narrator of Looking for Alaska, is frequently compared to the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield
.
Green "introduced" his son Henry Green upon his return to vlogging on February 15, 2010.
(2005), won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award
presented by the American Library Association
, and made the ALA 2005 Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults. The film rights to Looking for Alaska were purchased by Paramount in 2005 and the movie scheduled to be released in 2013.
His second novel, An Abundance of Katherines
(2006), was a 2007 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and may also be made into a movie in the future.
Green collaborated on a book with fellow young adult authors Maureen Johnson
and Lauren Myracle
called Let It Snow
(2008), which contains three interconnected short stories that take place in the same small town on Christmas Eve during a massive snowstorm. The story that he penned is called "A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle". On November 27, 2009, the book reached number 10 on the New York Times bestseller list for paperback children's books.
Green's third novel, Paper Towns
, was released on October 16, 2008. It debuted at number 5 on the New York Times bestseller list for children's books, and the movie rights to Paper Towns have been optioned by Mandate Pictures
and Mr. Mudd
. Green was hired to write the Paper Towns screenplay. On April 30, 2009, Paper Towns
was awarded the 2009 Edgar Award
for Best Young Adult Novel and the 2010 Corine Literature Prize
.
Green has collaborated with fellow young adult writer and friend David Levithan
on a book entitled Will Grayson, Will Grayson
, which was released April 6, 2010. John Green appeared on the sixty-first episode of Smart Mouths Podcast to discuss Will Grayson, Will Grayson.
In August 2009, Green confirmed he was writing a new book, titled The Sequel, with an expected release in 2011. On a BlogTV show, he announced that he had scrapped The Sequel. His fifth book, titled The Fault in Our Stars
was officially announced on June 28, 2011, with an expected release of January 12, 2012. On a YouTube live show, John explained that several parts of The Sequel were reworked into The Fault in Our Stars.
with his wife, Sarah (also known as "The Yeti" in his video blogs, due to her request not to be seen on camera), his son Henry, and his dog, a West Highland Terrier, named Willy (full name Fireball Wilson Roberts). According to his blog entry of May 16, 2007, Green was born in Indianapolis, but his family moved three weeks after he was born. He has also lived in East Lansing, Michigan
; Birmingham, Alabama
; Orlando, Florida
; Chicago, Illinois; and New York City
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of young adult fiction and a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
vlogger.
Early life and career
Green attended Indian Springs SchoolIndian Springs School
Indian Springs School is a private school that includes grades eight through twelve with both boarding and day students. It is at the base of Oak Mountain, in Indian Springs Village, Shelby County, Alabama, United States, near Pelham and just outside Birmingham.-History:Indian Springs School was...
, a boarding and day school outside of Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. He graduated from Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
in 2000 with a double major in English and Religious Studies. His first book, Looking for Alaska
Looking for Alaska
Looking for Alaska is the first young adult novel by John Green, published in March 2005 by Dutton Juvenile. It won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association...
, was largely inspired by his time at Indian Springs School.
Green lived for several years after that in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where he worked for Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
Magazine, a book review journal. While there, he reviewed hundreds of books of all varieties; his reviewing specialties included literary fiction, books about Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and books about conjoined twins
Conjoined twins
Conjoined twins are identical twins whose bodies are joined in utero. A rare phenomenon, the occurrence is estimated to range from 1 in 50,000 births to 1 in 100,000 births, with a somewhat higher incidence in Southwest Asia and Africa. Approximately half are stillborn, and a smaller fraction of...
. Green lived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for two years while his wife attended graduate school. Green's book criticism has also appeared in The New York Times Books Review. Green has also written for National Public Radio's All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
, for Chicago's public radio station, WBEZ, and for the now defunct internet magazine KnotMag.
Brotherhood 2.0 project
John Green and his brother HankHank Green
William Henry "Hank" Green II is a professional vlogger and entrepreneur. He is the founder of VidCon and EcoGeek.org and the co-founder of DFTBA Records. He is also a singer/songwriter and has released three studio albums...
ran a video blog project called Brotherhood 2.0. The original project ran from January 1 to December 31, 2007, with the premise that the brothers would cease all text-based ("textual") communication for the year and instead converse by video blogs
Vlog
Video blogging, sometimes shortened to vlogging or vidding or vidblogging is a form of blogging for which the medium is video, and is a form of Web television. Entries often combine embedded video or a video link with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded in one take...
, made available to the public via YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
(where they are known as the "vlogbrothers") and on their Brotherhood 2.0 website.
Vlogbrothers after Brotherhood 2.0
In their December 31, 2007 video, the brothers revealed their decision to continue vlogging even though the project had ended. Following the conclusion of Brotherhood 2.0, a website was set up for their fans at http://www.nerdfighters.com.The duo also created a sub-project of Vlogbrothers called Truth or Fail, a game show that is most frequently hosted by Hank in addition to a variety of guest hosts.
On January 21, 2010, Green went on paternity leave and "Secret Sister" Maureen Johnson made videos in his place until February 10, 2010. John's only vlog during that period was on January 28, when he read from J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescent readers for its themes of teenage confusion, angst, alienation, language, and rebellion. It has been translated into almost all of the world's major...
as a eulogy/tribute to the author; Miles, the narrator of Looking for Alaska, is frequently compared to the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield
Holden Caulfield
Holden Caulfield is the 16-to-17 years old protagonist of author J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. He is universally recognized for his resistance to growing older and desire to protect childhood innocence...
.
Green "introduced" his son Henry Green upon his return to vlogging on February 15, 2010.
Writings
Green's first novel, Looking for AlaskaLooking for Alaska
Looking for Alaska is the first young adult novel by John Green, published in March 2005 by Dutton Juvenile. It won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association...
(2005), won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award
Michael L. Printz Award
The Michael L. Printz Award is an annual award in the United States for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a school librarian from Topeka, Kansas, who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association...
presented by the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
, and made the ALA 2005 Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults. The film rights to Looking for Alaska were purchased by Paramount in 2005 and the movie scheduled to be released in 2013.
His second novel, An Abundance of Katherines
An Abundance of Katherines
An Abundance of Katherines is a young adult novel by John Green. Released in 2006, it was a finalist for the Michael L. Printz Award.An appendix explaining some of the more complex equations Colin uses throughout the story was written by Daniel Biss, a close friend to Green.-Plot summary:Colin...
(2006), was a 2007 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and may also be made into a movie in the future.
Green collaborated on a book with fellow young adult authors Maureen Johnson
Maureen Johnson
Maureen Johnson is an American author of young adult fiction. She has published eight young adult novels to date, including the Suite Scarlett series and The Last Little Blue Envelope. Johnson is also the founder of the political networking site .-Early life:Maureen Johnson is a graduate of the...
and Lauren Myracle
Lauren Myracle
Lauren Myracle is an American author of young adult books. She is the oldest of three sisters and has three older brothers. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia where she attended Trinity School and The Westminster Schools...
called Let It Snow
Let It Snow (novel)
Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances is a compilation novel written by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle. The novel follows the lives of teenagers in a small city called Gracetown in the middle of a snow storm...
(2008), which contains three interconnected short stories that take place in the same small town on Christmas Eve during a massive snowstorm. The story that he penned is called "A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle". On November 27, 2009, the book reached number 10 on the New York Times bestseller list for paperback children's books.
Green's third novel, Paper Towns
Paper Towns
Paper Towns is the third young adult novel by John Green, published in October 2008 by Dutton Books. It debuted at number 5 on the New York Times bestseller list for children's books and was awarded the 2009 Edgar Award for best Young Adult novel....
, was released on October 16, 2008. It debuted at number 5 on the New York Times bestseller list for children's books, and the movie rights to Paper Towns have been optioned by Mandate Pictures
Mandate Pictures
Mandate Pictures was originally an independent film entertainment studio, founded in 2003. Today, Mandate Pictures is a full-service production and financing company, acquired by Lionsgate in 2007. Mandate continues to operate as an independent brand delivering commercial and independent films...
and Mr. Mudd
Mr. Mudd
Mr. Mudd is a film production company founded by Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich and Russell Smith.Mr. Mudd currently has a first-look deal with Mandate Pictures. Notable films produced by Mr. Mudd include Juno, Which Way Home, Ghost World, The Dancer Upstairs, Abel, Art School Confidential, How to...
. Green was hired to write the Paper Towns screenplay. On April 30, 2009, Paper Towns
Paper Towns
Paper Towns is the third young adult novel by John Green, published in October 2008 by Dutton Books. It debuted at number 5 on the New York Times bestseller list for children's books and was awarded the 2009 Edgar Award for best Young Adult novel....
was awarded the 2009 Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
for Best Young Adult Novel and the 2010 Corine Literature Prize
Corine Literature Prize
The Corine – International Book Prize, as it is officially called, is a German literature prize created by theBavarian Landesverband of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels first awarded in 2001...
.
Green has collaborated with fellow young adult writer and friend David Levithan
David Levithan
David Levithan is an American young-adult fiction editor and award-winning author. His first book, Boy Meets Boy, was published in 2003...
on a book entitled Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Will Grayson, Will Grayson is a novel by John Green and David Levithan, published in April 2010 by Dutton Juvenile. The book's narrative is divided evenly between two boys named Will Grayson, with Green having written all of the chapters for one, and Levithan having written the chapters for the...
, which was released April 6, 2010. John Green appeared on the sixty-first episode of Smart Mouths Podcast to discuss Will Grayson, Will Grayson.
In August 2009, Green confirmed he was writing a new book, titled The Sequel, with an expected release in 2011. On a BlogTV show, he announced that he had scrapped The Sequel. His fifth book, titled The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is the upcoming fourth solo novel by author John Green that rose to #1 on the Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble bestseller lists in June 2011 shortly after its title was announced....
was officially announced on June 28, 2011, with an expected release of January 12, 2012. On a YouTube live show, John explained that several parts of The Sequel were reworked into The Fault in Our Stars.
Personal life
Green currently resides in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
with his wife, Sarah (also known as "The Yeti" in his video blogs, due to her request not to be seen on camera), his son Henry, and his dog, a West Highland Terrier, named Willy (full name Fireball Wilson Roberts). According to his blog entry of May 16, 2007, Green was born in Indianapolis, but his family moved three weeks after he was born. He has also lived in East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
; Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
; Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
; Chicago, Illinois; and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Books
- (2005) Looking for AlaskaLooking for AlaskaLooking for Alaska is the first young adult novel by John Green, published in March 2005 by Dutton Juvenile. It won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association...
(ISBN 0-525-47506-0) - (2006) An Abundance of KatherinesAn Abundance of KatherinesAn Abundance of Katherines is a young adult novel by John Green. Released in 2006, it was a finalist for the Michael L. Printz Award.An appendix explaining some of the more complex equations Colin uses throughout the story was written by Daniel Biss, a close friend to Green.-Plot summary:Colin...
(ISBN 0-525-47688-1) - (2008) Paper TownsPaper TownsPaper Towns is the third young adult novel by John Green, published in October 2008 by Dutton Books. It debuted at number 5 on the New York Times bestseller list for children's books and was awarded the 2009 Edgar Award for best Young Adult novel....
(ISBN 0-525-47818-8) - (2008) Let It Snow: Three Holiday RomancesLet It Snow (novel)Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances is a compilation novel written by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle. The novel follows the lives of teenagers in a small city called Gracetown in the middle of a snow storm...
- with Maureen JohnsonMaureen JohnsonMaureen Johnson is an American author of young adult fiction. She has published eight young adult novels to date, including the Suite Scarlett series and The Last Little Blue Envelope. Johnson is also the founder of the political networking site .-Early life:Maureen Johnson is a graduate of the...
and Lauren MyracleLauren MyracleLauren Myracle is an American author of young adult books. She is the oldest of three sisters and has three older brothers. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia where she attended Trinity School and The Westminster Schools...
(ISBN 0-142-41214-7) - (2010) Will Grayson, Will GraysonWill Grayson, Will GraysonWill Grayson, Will Grayson is a novel by John Green and David Levithan, published in April 2010 by Dutton Juvenile. The book's narrative is divided evenly between two boys named Will Grayson, with Green having written all of the chapters for one, and Levithan having written the chapters for the...
- with David LevithanDavid LevithanDavid Levithan is an American young-adult fiction editor and award-winning author. His first book, Boy Meets Boy, was published in 2003...
(ISBN 0-525-42158-0) - (2012) The Fault in Our Stars (ISBN 0-525-47881-7)
Short stories
- (2006) "The Approximate Cost of Loving Caroline" (part of Twice Told: Original Stories Inspired by Original Artwork by Scott Hunt)
- (2007) "The Great American Morp" (part of the 21 Proms anthology edited by David LevithanDavid LevithanDavid Levithan is an American young-adult fiction editor and award-winning author. His first book, Boy Meets Boy, was published in 2003...
and Daniel Ehrenhaft) - (2009) "Freak the Geek" (part of Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd)
- (2011) "Reasons" (part of What You Wish For)
Other
- (2009) Thisisnottom, an interactive novel hidden behind riddles.
- (2010) Zombicorns, an online Creative CommonsCreative CommonsCreative Commons is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mountain View, California, United States devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons...
licensed zombie novella.
External links
- John Green's web page
- Nerdfighters home page
- The Brotherhood 2.0 Project
- Online novel and fanbase created by John Green
- YouTube - vlogbrothers's Channel
- YouTube - Interview on "The Interview Show"
- list of every book mentioned in a vlogbrothers video, originally compiled by a "Nerdfighter" named Lauren.