I am a small boat. It's Question Tuesday.

2021-05-11 · Q&A · John · 3:50 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Books & writing (also: Nerdfighteria) · mode: Q&A & conversation · tags: recurring series, self promotion, community lore

A week before The Anthropocene Reviewed comes out, John answers Question Tuesday questions about the book (audiobook differences, listener emails, its organization and what it is about), his favorite in-jokes, being recognized as Vince Vaughn's best friend and living with anxiety.

What is said

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

00:00:00 — Book out in a week; favorite Vlogbrothers in-joke; frogs; start of the audiobook question

★★ John says his book The Anthropocene Reviewed comes out one week from today; he feels like a small boat facing big waves. — 00:00:03 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book), The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)
★★ John's favorite of 14 years of Vlogbrothers in-jokes: Hank left an I out of 'communication' in their 2007 intro and explained there is no I in brotherhood. — 00:00:12 · Vlogbrothers, Hank Green
★ Asked his opinion on frogs, John says it is largely positive. (playful) — 00:00:22

00:00:29 — Physical book versus audiobook; recognized as Vince Vaughn's best friend; managing anxiety

★★ John says the physical book is an eye experience and the audiobook an ear experience; each contains things the other lacks, such as a review of half title pages in the print book. — 00:00:29 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book)
★★ In an airport store with his best friend Chris Waters, a clerk asked John how he knows Vince Vaughn, so he was once recognized for being Vince Vaughn's best friend. (playful) — 00:00:47
★★★ John says he sometimes doesn't function well; he doesn't push through his anxiety but tries to treat it and, when necessary, accommodate it like any other chronic health problem. — 00:01:08

00:01:27 — Anthropocene Reviewed listener emails, Harvey, and what writing and art do

★★ Many emails from Anthropocene Reviewed listeners resonate with John, but he won't discuss them: people write with such raw emotion that he wants to protect it. — 00:01:27 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)
★★ John compares the emails to a scene in his favorite movie, Harvey, where strangers at a bar bring nothing small: nobody brings anything small to that email address either. — 00:01:35 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)
★★★ John says writing works only when reader and writer lay down their shields of cynicism; feeling an author knows something about you makes you less alone, which he loves most about art. — 00:01:53 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book)
★★ John says that if The Anthropocene Reviewed can make some people feel less alone in that way, he feels very fortunate. — 00:02:15 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book), The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)

00:02:26 — Book versus podcast, the deadpan joke, foreign titles, how the book is organized

★ Parts of the book that wouldn't have worked on the podcast: most notably the picture parts, and also the wintry mix parts. (playful) — 00:02:28 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)
★★ John confirms he used the word 'deadpan' exactly once in The Anthropocene Reviewed, as in every book since An Abundance of Katherines, another 14-year-old joke he enjoys. — 00:02:36 · An Abundance of Katherines, The Anthropocene Reviewed (book), The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)
★ Asked to pronounce foreign titles of the book, John attempts the Dutch and German titles, raising his voice for the German question mark. (playful) — 00:02:45
★★ John liked the German title so much that he wrote the book's entire concluding essay about it. — 00:02:57 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book)
★★★ John says readers can read the book however they like: he is very over authors prescribing reading experiences; the book belongs to the reader, to use however it is useful. — 00:03:02 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book)
★★ The book is organized not alphabetically or by date but by a vague journey from childhood to adulthood, and from hope to despair to hope. — 00:03:12 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book)

00:03:24 — What the book is about, vision board, sign-off, virtual tour and Dan Howell event

★★ Asked what the book is about, John says he still doesn't know; perhaps awe, connectedness, or how weird it is that temporary beings can conceive of permanence. (hedged) — 00:03:25 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book)
★★ Asked what is on his vision board this week (week of 10 May 2021), John answers that he really hopes viewers like The Anthropocene Reviewed book. — 00:03:33 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book), The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)
★★ John is going on a virtual tour for The Anthropocene Reviewed next week (week of 17 May 2021); info and tickets are in the description. — 00:03:38 · The Anthropocene Reviewed (book), The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)
★★ John is also doing an event with Dan Howell about Dan's book You Will Get Through This Night; info and tickets are in the description. — 00:03:42

Humor (significant)

Asked for his opinion on frogs, John gives a one-line verdict. — 00:00:22

“Largely positive.”
A store clerk who already knew John was John Green really wanted to know how he knew Vince Vaughn. — 00:01:05

“So the strangest thing I've ever been recognized for is being Vince Vaughn's best friend.”
Asked to pronounce foreign titles of his book, John promises skill before mangling them. — 00:02:45

“Yes, and with great skill, as per usual.”
Pronouncing the German title, which ends in a question mark. — 00:02:55

“I didn't know how to deal with the question mark so I just sort of raised my voice.”

Threads in this video

callback · The brothers' 'no I in brotherhood' explanation for the I missing from 'communication' in the 2007 intro (2007) — John's favorite of 14 years of Vlogbrothers in-jokes: Hank left an I out of 'communication' in their 2007 intro and explained there is no I in brotherhood. (00:00:12) → refers to August 30th: A Secret Project for Nerdfighters
restate · Is mental illness an illness like any other, to be treated without stigma? — John says he sometimes doesn't function well; he doesn't push through his anxiety but tries to treat it and, when necessary, accommodate it like any other chronic health problem. (00:01:08)
restate · What is art for? — John says writing works only when reader and writer lay down their shields of cynicism; feeling an author knows something about you makes you less alone, which he loves most about art. (00:01:53)
callback · John's inside joke of using the word 'deadpan' exactly once in every book since An Abundance of Katherines (2007) — John confirms he used the word 'deadpan' exactly once in The Anthropocene Reviewed, as in every book since An Abundance of Katherines, another 14-year-old joke he enjoys. (00:02:36)
restate · Does the author's intent matter to what a work means? — John says readers can read the book however they like: he is very over authors prescribing reading experiences; the book belongs to the reader, to use however it is useful. (00:03:02)
milestone · The Anthropocene Reviewed book: announcement and publication (2020) — John is going on a virtual tour for The Anthropocene Reviewed next week (week of 17 May 2021); info and tickets are in the description. (00:03:38)
milestone · The Anthropocene Reviewed virtual book tour (2021) — John is going on a virtual tour for The Anthropocene Reviewed next week (week of 17 May 2021); info and tickets are in the description. (00:03:38)
milestone · John's weekly 2021 vision board (2021) — Asked what is on his vision board this week (week of 10 May 2021), John answers that he really hopes viewers like The Anthropocene Reviewed book. (00:03:33)

Where the stories that moved here went next

The Anthropocene Reviewed virtual book tour (2021) — last documented in 2021; last: launched, 2021-05-18
John's weekly 2021 vision board (2021) — past edition (2021); last: milestone, 2021-06-01
The Anthropocene Reviewed book: announcement and publication (2020) — completed; last: milestone, 2025-01-21

Mentioned

Central: The Anthropocene Reviewed (book)

Also: People: Chris Waters · Dan Howell · Vince Vaughn

Projects: The Anthropocene Reviewed (podcast)

Works: An Abundance of Katherines · Harvey (film) · You Will Get Through This Night

Rituals: Question Tuesday

Concepts: anxiety disorder · audiobook · Chronic condition · cynicism · loneliness · vision board · wintry mix · wonder (emotion)

← Previous: Are We The Same Person? · Next → This Vlogbrothers Stat Blew My Mind