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The Fault in Our Stars

2012-01-10 (said on 2012-01-09 — implied: date said in the video; uploaded 1 day later) · Q&A · John · 3:26 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Books & writing · mode: Q&A & conversation · tags: recurring series, self promotion, timely hook, on location, community lore

Formerly titled Question Tuesday: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS IS HERE EDITION.

On the eve of The Fault in Our Stars' publication, John answers viewer questions in an airport: the book grew from his hospital chaplaincy and from knowing Esther (though Hazel is not Esther), explores gender and heroism, and gave him moments of 'fanaa', self-transcendence.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — TFIOS release day (filmed Monday, January 9); Question Tuesday

  • ★★★ John says The Fault in Our Stars comes out today, January 10, 2012, though he is filming on Monday, January 9, because he is busy tomorrow. — 00:00:00 · The Fault in Our Stars

00:00:11 — Questions: leaving for tour, licking the signature, inspiration (student chaplain), best book? (Mark Twain)

  • ★★★ John is a bit stressed: he has to leave his family for a month, which is a bummer, but he is excited to go on tour. — 00:00:12 · Tour de Nerdfighting
  • ★★★ John says TFIOS grew from his work almost twelve years ago as a student chaplain at a children's hospital; he has been trying ever since to write a funny, honest story about it. — 00:00:28 · The Fault in Our Stars · also in: TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH
  • ★★ Asked if TFIOS is his best book, John doesn't know: its reviews are better than any of his other books', but authors shouldn't judge their own work; Mark Twain thought Joan of Arc his best. (hedged) — 00:00:38 · The Fault in Our Stars

00:00:48 — Walking to the airport: unladen swallow, tie, writing as a parent, medical research, girl's point of view and heroism, V for Vendetta, peanut butter face with crackers

  • ★★ John doesn't think he could have written TFIOS until he was a parent. (hedged) — 00:01:00 · The Fault in Our Stars
  • ★★ John says he did more medical research for TFIOS than a hypochondriac probably should. (playful) — 00:01:04 · The Fault in Our Stars
  • ★★★ John says he wrote TFIOS from a girl's point of view partly to think about how gender constructions shape our understanding of what constitutes heroism. — 00:01:08 · The Fault in Our Stars
  • ★★ John thinks V for Vendetta is primarily a proponent of a very specific and pervasive idea of heroism, rather than of democracy or anarchy. (hedged) — 00:01:17
  • ★★ Asked for peanut butter face in an airport, John objects people will think he's crazy, then makes do with peanut butter crackers. (playful) — 00:01:22 · Peanut Butter Face

00:01:30 — Looking for Alaska not needed, the Hectic Glow, unsigned pre-orders, crying, feel all the things; airport song and empty airport

00:02:11 — Esther as inspiration but Hazel is not Esther; fruit; tour tickets left; Nerdfighteria's influence

  • ★★★ John says he could never have written TFIOS without knowing Esther, who definitely inspired it, but stresses that Hazel is not Esther: the book is made up, a novel. — 00:02:11 · Esther Earl, Hazel Grace Lancaster, The Fault in Our Stars

    “it's really important to note that Hazel is not Esther. The book is made up.”

  • ★★★ John says Tour de Nerdfighting tickets remain only near New Orleans, Houston, Austin, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Seattle and San Francisco, with ticket info in the description. — 00:02:31 · Tour de Nerdfighting

  • ★★★ John says Nerdfighteria has shaped TFIOS in so many ways he can't list them, as readers will probably see. — 00:02:46 · Nerdfighteria, The Fault in Our Stars

00:02:53 — Favourite moment: fanaa, self-transcendence in writing; thanks for reading; sign-off

  • ★★★ John's favourite moment: Islamic mystics' word fanaa, dissolution of the self, is what reading and writing do when they work; writing TFIOS he often felt he transcended himself, and hopes readers will too. — 00:02:53 · The Fault in Our Stars

    “Islamic mystics have this word "Fanaa" which means like dissolution or annihilation of the self”

In the description and comments

  • ★★ John promises that buyers whose pre-ordered copy of The Fault in Our Stars came unsigned, who email him their name, address and where they ordered, will be sent a very rare signed bookplate. — video description · The Fault in Our Stars

Humor (significant)

  • A viewer asks whether an unladen swallow could carry a copy of TFIOS in its talons. — 00:00:49

    “Well definitionally not, as it would then be a laden swallow.”

  • Asked how much medical research TFIOS needed, John answers. — 00:01:01

    “More than a hypochondriac probably should.”

  • Asked for peanut butter face in an airport, John protests, then borrows peanut butter crackers. — 00:01:22

    “These are the best I could do.”

  • John sings and dances that people in the airport think he's crazy, then admits there is nobody in the airport. — 00:01:56

    “but they left when I started talking into a video camera.”

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: Esther Earl · Fana · The Fault in Our Stars

Also: People: Mark Twain

Projects: Tour de Nerdfighting

Works: Harry Potter (book series) · Looking for Alaska (novel) · Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc · V for Vendetta

Rituals: Question Tuesday

Terms: Peanut Butter Face

Concepts: gender role

Places: Albuquerque, New Mexico · Austin, Texas · Houston, Texas · New Orleans · Phoenix, Arizona · San Francisco · Seattle

Characters: Hazel Grace Lancaster · The Hectic Glow

Products: Sharpie

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