After spending more time on Green's website, I understand why students like this author, both as a writer and as a person. As an author, he does not imagine himself in an ivory tower, living above and beyond others; instead, he seems to consider that part of his responsibility as an author is to communicate with his readers in other ways: to amuse them with videos, to "unpack" his novels to increase the pleasure of reading and the power of understanding, and to give his readers a chance to talk to each other, too.
His "book site" has a separate page (very lengthy) for each novel, and then he offers an additional page titled "Other Stuff," where he invites readers to post comments, which they do (862 comments as of March 16, 2014). I have only skimmed these posts, but based on that limited information I would say that most readers who post here are young and just becoming familiar with the pleasures of reading. For example, "Kendall" wrote in February 2013 these remarks:
"I was never much of a reader and always claimed that I hated it, but several friends suggested Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Out Stars to me. I finally went out and bought them and I haven’t yet decided if now I love reading or if I just love your writing. I finished both in a matter of days and cried like a baby. I have yet to read Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Paper Towns, and An Abundance of Katherines. I hope you continue writing for a long while because I will definitely continue reading."
On the one hand, the guy has got to be flattered with such fandom, but on the other hand we have to admire the voice he opens up for so many readers and the respect he gives them in opening his website to their remarks. I find this refreshing, and, as a teacher, I'm fascinated by how much students enjoy reading what he has to say about his books even though in a classroom they might not enjoy analysis nearly so much -- or at all. On most topics, he simply says "this is what such and such a part is about" so there is no "analysis anxiety," but he does so without an authoritarian voice; he simply provides an explanation.
What is there about reading and writing to learn from John Green?
His "book site" has a separate page (very lengthy) for each novel, and then he offers an additional page titled "Other Stuff," where he invites readers to post comments, which they do (862 comments as of March 16, 2014). I have only skimmed these posts, but based on that limited information I would say that most readers who post here are young and just becoming familiar with the pleasures of reading. For example, "Kendall" wrote in February 2013 these remarks:
"I was never much of a reader and always claimed that I hated it, but several friends suggested Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Out Stars to me. I finally went out and bought them and I haven’t yet decided if now I love reading or if I just love your writing. I finished both in a matter of days and cried like a baby. I have yet to read Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Paper Towns, and An Abundance of Katherines. I hope you continue writing for a long while because I will definitely continue reading."
On the one hand, the guy has got to be flattered with such fandom, but on the other hand we have to admire the voice he opens up for so many readers and the respect he gives them in opening his website to their remarks. I find this refreshing, and, as a teacher, I'm fascinated by how much students enjoy reading what he has to say about his books even though in a classroom they might not enjoy analysis nearly so much -- or at all. On most topics, he simply says "this is what such and such a part is about" so there is no "analysis anxiety," but he does so without an authoritarian voice; he simply provides an explanation.
What is there about reading and writing to learn from John Green?