I support this too and would argue that this is what makes for good criticism of any art, whether that be books, films, drawings, paintings, sculptures, music, dance, etc.
I think "it deserves my attention" is the best reason I have ever heard for a book being 'good'. I always struggle to explain why I think a book I've read is great so I'm gonna steal this
I agree. And thinking about it, I realize that what I'm actually looking for in book recommendations isn't a genre or a type of story, it is a book that will give me a positive experience and be deserving of my attention.
Yes! This is it! The designation of "good" finally clicked when I heard John say it. We have an unlimited amount of content and a limited amount of attention and time to experience it!
That quote got me thinking too. I think that John most definitely has unshakable beliefs, like ‘killing is wrong’ or ‘football is awesome’, but perhaps they only feel like unshakable beliefs when they are newly formed, when you can still imagine a version of yourself that could have acted contrary to your newly unshakable belief. ... just a thought, but maybe I’m drunk on introspection...man I wish somebody brewed a beer named that.
Nix Halcyon following your comment on John’s unshakable beliefs, I wondered if he is referring to specific works that challenged these or just how critiques can offer great points of insight and reflection. I hope it’s the former because I’d love to get a reading list for works that can do that!
Yes and once in a while, we come across that one article, that one book, that one conversation, that's like a 9/11 of the mind. That shakes you so profoundly to your core that it is the end of an epoch in the history of your mind; everything after it is called post-9/11
Your title says "How I Read and Why" and you only really answered why. How exactly do you read? In a comfortable chair on your front lawn with some lemonade on the table beside you? I need details John.
I thought it was gonna be about illiteracy. Kinda blows my mind to think about, but since this is a an audio-visual medium - you could literally teach ppl howto read via youtube vids :O. The old 1990s early-internet part of my brain somehow still insists into my inuitions that the internet is text only.
I think the "how" part is when he explained the kind of frame work he uses when reading. Although the more physical how is also an interesting question...
yes, please. I want to know where you read most often and which beverage you choose. Or food. Both reading and food can be enjoyably consumed simultaneously.
I’ve always thought of the job of critics as consuming *all* the media, and then telling us what we should spend our money and time on. But recently I’ve discovered that the best critics go further than that, and create their own art out of the analysis of other people’s art. The best critics have a deep interest and understanding of the subject they’re criticising. *take the film critic Mark Kermode for example. He goes further than ‘you should watch this film’. He understands what each film brings to the world and what it creates.
This is reflected by Oscar Wilde’s essay titled “The Critic as an Artist”. Or maybe your viewpoint reflects said essay. Whichever way you wanna look at it.
When I was teaching literature at my local community college, I would start off every semester by showing the students the first ever video from Crash Course Literature. It helped students to see that I wasn't just asking them to identify a metaphor, but to be able to tell me why it mattered. It also helped some students look at a work of literature outside of their own initial reaction and start to question/consider other impacts the text had. I think it was a great way to get students to start considering many of the points you make in this video.
It's almost as of when a lot of people care about something (be it game of thrones, taylor swift's new aesthetic or books about conjoined twins) there's value in it regardless of how some people personally feel. Not that it's immune to criticism, but that it is an important thing to others in spite of (and because of) the reviewing around it. Maybe all of us who spent way too much time on Tumblr in 2012 are still learning this, but personal taste is not the only thing that matters in this discussion.
"I read to be moved, in every sense of the word: to go to places I haven't been, and to glimpse worlds I otherwise couldn't see, including the worlds deep within myself."
"I think what we mean when we say a book is "good" is that it's worth our attention. A good book is one that, if read generously, will offer big gifts in return." - John Green This makes me want to review books in this spirit. Thanks, John!
The art of reviewing things and lifting up moments that were written/ produced well, reminds me of the concept of positive marking. We were told in teacher's training to always look for positive things in our student's work. A great phrase, a well applied idiom or a new perspective that you did not consider before. It validates their efforts and I do try to adapt that way of thinking when consuming media.
I am a college student studying library and Information Science and I just love this video so much! Thank you John for sharing your lens on the camera which is life. ❤️
Ohmygodsyes! The bit about being unsure about everything hit me right in the recognition. When I was younger I thought reading would help me, in lack of a better word, make up my mind... about everything. Instead books usually help me to see things from more than just my own perspective. My dad told me a quote (but I can’t remember from who he quoted). He said, ‘the moral of a good book is: It is more complicated than that’. The longer I live, the more I’m starting to think that’s not just a useful guideline for books. You know, the truth resists simplicity.
Omg I was writing in my journal last night about how I like finding the good in everything. I’m afraid of being a reviewer but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with loving almost every book I read. I feel like it’s one of my great traits. I feel the same way. Love you John, keep on reading.❤️
John, your book Turtles All the Way Down is one book that will stay with me forever. Your writing allows readers to see a different perspective of the world in a way that left a huge impact on me.
For a long time I have believed in the importance of letting things (books and art and life) shake your beliefs. It was one of those kind of abstract things that I never even really tried to put into words, but when you said that last phrase of the video it just rang so true to me that I replayed it several times. Damn, I love vlog brothers!
In the book "the perks of being a wallflower" (which changes every time I read it, honestly it's worth your time) Charlie (the main character) says something along the lines of " I think a book or a song is considered good if I feel different after reading or hearing it, if i'm not moved when it's over, it wasn't worth my time." anyways that was in my head during this whole video
Interesting! Would you have different guests come on to talk about a book you're discussing, or would you highlight listener comments about a section you've previously asked people to read? Or both + other stuff I haven't listed? TL;DR I'm interested and very curious about how this would be structured!
this reminds me of Sarah's "A case for..." videos in Art Assignment, it's never "A case against" and that's the best way to look at life. Thanks John! 💖
This attitude is one I took to my own professional reviewing career, back when I was a video game critic from 2008-2016. I loved shining my tiny spotlight on games that normally wouldn't have seen the audience they deserved (or still deserve), and breaking down just WHY something was ineffective or not worth further time instead of "this is bad mrrgrrgrr" and adding fuel to the hateful fire. I don't have much to add, just to add a further two cents that thoughtful criticism to boost the positives of a piece of art, whether interactive or passive storytelling, and harp on what takes away from the experience to hopefully avoid it from happening further in the same occasionally-lazy manner. "Sunlight is the best disinfectant" and all that. DFTBA
I feel like the criticism format would be more helpful if they provided contrasting works so if they're like "this book has a really unrealistic depiction of depression" or whatever if it was followed by "unlike ________ which doesn't have those problems because..." oh yeah any hot takes on the new the Mountain Goats album John? I've had Waylon Jennings Live! stuck in my head since I woke up with it there.
I love that song. The whole album is great, but that song might be my favorite! And yes, exactly--let's find ways to lift up what's worthy of our attention! -John
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Several years ago, your video about Paper Towns on TED literally saved my life at my worst moments. Now, this video's just incinerated my doubts & frustrations of not having enough time (to read, to learn, to reflect). I even learned about an interesting movie critic in the comment section thanks to the helpful & positive community gathered by your channels. Thank you :)
I've been a nerdfighter for a year now I think But I've just started reading John's books and now I have seen so many vlogbrothers videos that I read the book in John's voice in my head.
Your comment on unshakable beliefs really resonates with me. I too used to just know, so strongly what is what and beliefs were unshakable but I’m 31 now and as I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed my openness to things that can shake and crumble my previously solid ideas. It really makes me wonder about how others go through age and beliefs, but I know it’s not the same for everyone - I’ve a grandmother that only grew more resolute as she aged. This is the kinda thing that makes me wish UA-cam still had the video response bc commenting feels a little inadequate, but I’m going to be thinking about this all day. That’s what happens when you watch vlogbrothers while cooking breakfast I guess.
Books that have changed my life: The Lost Art of Dress Little Women A Match and a Fuse We Were Liars Gone With the Wind In the Forests of the Night (that was the book that inspired little 12 yo me to start writing!) Utopia Anne of Green Gables Little House series I could go on but those are the main ones for now 💕
Ahhh this is so good. I wish everyone could focus more on what has a positive impact. After all, “we hate X” communities will probably never be remembered. I hope Nerdfighteria makes a lasting impact.
About the part where he talks about "unshakable beliefs"...I really relate. In my younger and more self assured days, I felt that if I kept searching for meaning in the universe's unsolvable philosophical dilemmas, I would build a strong sense of who I am and what I believed in and then, armed with this knowledge, I could advance quickly in the practical realm of things. It worked for a while but the world kept changing and what I believed in kept changing. I realized that maybe there isn't such a thing as a universal axiom that I can cling to for the comfort in the complex pattern of life. Strangely enough, there is still pleasure in the quest for these unanswerable questions; there might not be an outward use of these beliefs and values as they are constantly changing but they are necessary to be self assured in the moment at least. It is because of this, consuming art is such a wonderful thing. Where else are you going to be exposed to so much in so little? Life is most enjoyable in full tumult.
This is exactly how I read, with the want for this book to be my new favorite. That it’ll be the book that changed how I think what one thing or another. Also John, we need a new book suggestion list!
Fantastic happy thoughts! My book reviews are focused on how that book made an impact on me since the beginning of my writing them, the reviews were only writing exercises. I have a few followers, but still, the reviews are for me. I want to remember how that book made me feel.
This put something I've felt for a long time into words better than I've ever managed! I started enjoying books and movies and TV and music so much more when I stopped worrying about whether stuff was 'good' and having 'guilty pleasures' and instead just let myself enjoy the things I enjoy. Part of the purpose of media and recreation in general is to relax, teach, and/or entertain. If I'm getting one of those things out of it, then I am happy to invest my attention for that reward.
John, your comment about being uncertain about being uncertain is right on target for me. I have often struggled with this part of me that began with my fear of not understanding others or growing because of my unshakeable beliefs. Not wanting to be close minded I overcompensated by being too open minded to the point where I found myself with no real hard opinions about anything. I gotta tell you it's not great, but I've been working on trying to find a balance between having strong beliefs and being open minded enough to understand other's world view without being swayed into it.
I’ve been feeling anxious as hell lately, I only slept an hour last night and this one isn’t going much better but I can’t thank this UA-cam channel enough, even when I’m anxious you help me see that there is still hope
Such an electrically energising and thought-provoking video that has got me thinking on both a personal and a worldly scale in terms of both the art I see and adore, the works I saw potential in and the creations of my own I wish to make manifest. Thank you so much, John! Your books and these beautiful videos give me goosebumps!
I Love This! I so wish others would be of like mind on this one. I have been on the receiving end of the extreme version of the “I will point out everything I wish was different “ mind set- notes for feature screenplays! In reading a screenplay, the very most certain feedback comes as another reimagining what is written instead of taking in this new experience and enjoying it. I think you are talking about giving yourself permission to ENJOY a read!
In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the *new*. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new: an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, "Anyone can cook." But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist *can* come from *anywhere*. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more.
"i'm less moved by criticism in the colloquial sense like articles or videos explaining 'everything wrong with x'" john green would be terrible at cinemasins. * ding*
I absolutely love these letter format rambling videos. It truly brightens and blesses my day to take a moment to just listen to the thoughts of a writer
sometimes i find critics and reviewers doing the same thing that the art i read does - putting something into words that i can only think of in a nebulous sense. i read a review of endgame (i won't spoil anything) and i remember reading part of the critic's thoughts and thinking "oh my god, that's EXACTLY what i was thinking/feeling but couldn't put into words". interesting overlap between critics and the stuff they critique there, because i think a lot of art does the job of putting into practise or words a thought or feeling that i couldn't capture on my own. great video john
Wow! You're definitely not forgetting to be awesome - there's so much positivity and insight and willingness to care about other people in this. It's a great reminder of why I love your channel
I was talking with my students just yesterday about the word incontrovertible and whether or not it's healthy to view anything as such. Of course there are a great many things that either are or aren't true, and I think there's danger in a postmodern denial of truth as a whole, but as I'm growing older I'm learning that the human experience largely isn't about truth. The human experience IS truth, evolving and growing and interacting with the universe around us as best as we can. I think understanding this concept helps us to have more grace as we interact with each other, and especially as we interact with our history and the art/artists of the past.
@@jaspergood2091 question for you Jasper Good, were those books you read for pleasure or were you assigned those books for school or university? Because, my opinion; I tend to hate books I'm 'forced' to read. I don't know why. Sometimes books assigned by school just really really aren't my preferred genres but other times I find that I probably would have enjoyed, if not loved, this book if it weren't forced on me. So what I did when I noticed this about me, was to assign myself books that I knew/guessed I would be asked to read if I attended an American High school. (I'm German, so English Lit isn't really a subject here) So I made a list and I read those and so far loved every single one! It made me discover new genres, a slight obsession with Jane Eyre, and a love for classic literature, which I never thought I'd like because until I started to read them for myself, they always felt like an assignment. Long story short; do you think you disliked those books because you (maybe) didn't feel like it was your choice to read them?
Reading can be an escape, an awakening, a place for hope or sorrow, or just static for the brain. I find that any book I can get into, I can get something back from, and that makes this type of media a true miracle to me. There is always some type of lesson or statement to be found. Even the reading I have done academically that I haven't enjoyed has touched me somehow. To all those authors from which that magic came (including both @vlogbrothers ) I give my most sincere thanks. You have touched my heart, and even more importantly, my mind.
I completely agree with your point on not giving bad things attention - and the more we direct our attention to the things that we really love, rather than those we dislike, the happier we tend to be.
I never really comment on anything but this short video is the most reassuring thing I’ve watched the whole of quarantine. I am just about to finish a literature degree (hello virtual graduation) and more and more I find conversations like this important. I remember a professor telling us a good novel will comfort the uncomfortable and discomfort the comfortable. I really believe that is true. We need to stop criticising from the point of view that ‘it wasn’t realistic’ or ‘it was too depressing’. If a novel stirs a reaction in you I think it is successful - even if that reaction is negative. Good books are unforgettable books. Good books are books you buy again to give to your friends because you don’t want to part with your copy. Good books leave you lying in thought on your bed for 30 minutes after you’ve finished them. Thank you for speaking about literature this way. High brow and low brow reading really ruffles feathers, we need to remember every book out there is important to someone. Let’s share the art that fills us up!!!!
Uncertainty (and doubt) is not a bad thing. To quote one of my all-time favourite authors, Tage Danielsson; "Without a doubt, you are out of your mind". (love that wordplay, even tough it works a bit better in its original language (Swedish)). Tage Danielsson was a brilliant humorist, satirist and humanist whos work was often very multilayered. And his passion for doubt was that it was "the foundation of all knowledge and the engine of all change". So don't feel bad that you are more uncertain these days. That just means that you have a mind willing to change and adapt after new evidence. And that is a very wise position to have.
I cried for like half of that book! I know a fair amount of OCD, but to get an inside look at just what intrusive thoughts are like was very eye opening for me! Also, it made me feel validated and not alone since I've struggled with my thoughts a lot from my anxiety and depression.
I am currently reading "the catcher in the rye" and halfway through I got of bored , but then I saw your part 1 review on the book that you made back in the day and I absolutly loved it. It showed me that I have to pay way more attention to small metaphores like the red hat or the often occuring question of Holden about the ducks. Your review makes me so much more interested in the second half of the book!
And I forgot to mention that my main reason on to why I bought this book was because it was in one of your book recommendation videos, which is kind of a review I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
As an English student, I think of my initial approach to a work of art as "taking it on its own terms"-do your absolute best to see value in it, to identify all the interesting things it's doing, assume that it has something substantial to say. If you're underwhelmed after doing that, then you can factor in value judgments. But you want to start by pushing past your own biases and doing your utmost to take it seriously.
To me, when people say they hate a piece of entertainment (either a book, piece of art, movie etc.) and they "hate" it for some reason other than it truly offends them, I immediately turn off my desire to listen to them, because it seems to me that A> it kills conversation and B> they want to talk about their reaction more than the quality of the work itself.
I absolutely love your way of thinking, finding more of a positive outlook to literature and why exactly this work of art deserves the attention surrounding it!
I have a blog on movie reviews :) And I purely write it because I find that it is great to question things, and as John said, art itself. I love this video in every sense of the word :) Thank you John!
I work at a center that runs a Master's program and one thing I really appreciate that our director pushes is that reading critically does not mean reading only to pick apart arguments and highlight their faults but to talk about why things deserve attention/or used to but no longer deserve such and appreciate what we can take away from everything we read.
I am returning to this channel after a while (~7 years) and one of my favorite things that the 2 of you do is encourage thought. Being uncertain about things inspires greater exploration and thought on those things, and that is amazing, so I guess my answer to should you be uncertain about uncertainty is, go and find out. I'll see you in your next video
How have john and hank been so good at this for so long. I’ve watched pretty much every vlog brothers video from 2010-now and always get excited for a new video
John, I truly enjoy your content so much. Every video of yours deserves my attention and I always go about my day a little bit happier after watching your videos. From my heart, I wish you a beautiful day and I want to say thank you. Take care John.
In speech today I had to give an impromptu speech on the quote " It is better to light a candle then to curse the darkness" Eleanor Roosevelt. This seems to be a similar idea, that it is better to look to the good then the bad.
A great example of this for me is the recent Nerdwriter video. In it he talked about this fight scene from a underrated show, Barry on HBO. And now that I've started seeing it I really like it. It's a great mish-mash of action and comedy, rarely seen done effectively in Tv shows. And as John said, Nerdwriter's criticism helped highlight this piece of art that would've gone unnoticed from me. For that I thank him.
The Anthropocene Reviewed is probably my current favorite media content and this video helped me understand why. I hope one day I can analyze things as thoughtfully and thought-provokingly as you do.
I truly believe that good art criticism can be a work of art on its own. Thanks for this video! I'm personally a sucker for tv and movie reviews, and there are definitely some reviews I come back to again and again, and they're usually the ones that spend their final paragraph ruminating on what it means to be human, inspired by that movie or episode or whatever. I find that the best reviews to read are the positive ones because it's a joy to read about someone else's love for something.
I know it is kind of silly to post on a year old video but this came back to me at the right time. Now more than every I have hated the question "Is X good?" because I find it hard to recommend things that are not great when asked that. I find myself responding a lot with well I enjoyed it, which never felt like the correct answer. Your statement of good being "worth our attention" spoke to me and I think I am going to start viewing my reviews in that light.
A book that still claims me attention, and follows me along in life, is When We Have Wings by Clare Corbett. It made me ask questions, and at times made me uncomfortable in my stance on those questions, while remaining a fully immersive universe that took me places.
While we’re talking about art and writing that deserve to be paid attention to, I just want to add some writing and art that really helped me and that I really enjoy. 1) Nikita Gill’s many writings. My favorite quote: “To my children, I will say, ‘Fill your skin with kindness and find solace in your solitude. It takes bravery to be kind. But to be brave you will need to know how to stand for something even if your are completely alone.” 2) All the Light We Cannot See, which was a NYT bestseller I think but still one of my favorite books of all time. 3) I’m not sure if this counts as art but here’s a video of a crow (raven?) hopping along to a song by The Beach Boys: m.ua-cam.com/video/UrnR6GDNE_w/v-deo.html 4) Celeste Ng: Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You 5) The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness 6) I’m sure you’ve seen this before but I love Poorly Drawn Lines comics. 7) Dirgewithoutmusic and Annerb on ao3 - they write so beautifully about characters from the Harry Potter universe. 8) Nicholas Yee’s UA-cam channel where he does cello instrumental versions of popular music or themes: m.ua-cam.com/channels/YmtA5JyueBoUuLdS90fvvQ.html
dirgewithoutmusic and their "In defense of Andromeda Tonks nee Black" is 100% responsible for the fact that I now read fanfic voraciously instead of looking down my nose at it as a lesser form of art. And "The kids who chose themselves" was the work I selected to discuss plot AU in my fanfic101 class.
I would like to say that some times a work being bad makes it worthy of attention. I really enjoy the Cinema sins channel, they are pretty easy punching bags rn, but I think it’s fun and sometimes enlightening to look at how things are bad or nitpick things.
Great video, loved the concept and the commentary on hate culture. I feel like the issues we have with criticism toward books are similar to issues we have toward other cultural institutions, including people (think cancel culture). I go back and forth on how I feel about the productivity of that kind of analysis. Thanks for 3 minutes and 43 seconds of your thoughts.
Good criticism of art (movies, books, music, etc) also helps clarify opinions. If a reviewer puts into words something I like or dislike about a piece of art, it helps me think more critically about the art I consume and articulate to myself what I like and why. Nitpicky reviewing is the exact opposite. It doesn't help you think big picture, it just puts a spotlight on small flaws, which don't necessarily make or break pieces of media.
I have to say, that i celebrate the way how you described your way of looking at books/art. Maybe your point of view in this field is one of the reasons why I'd enjoyed your crash course liuterature videos so much. I like the way of discover new layers behind a story and your videos were a dwell of unlimited beauty. I wish you happiness by your actuell books and hope that someday there will be new literature videos, too..hach sweet dreams.
The excitement of everything about Hank's book (which I'm reading while commuting) is making me come home with a smile every day. So "An absolutely remarkable thing" MOST DEFINITELY deserves my attention.
Ah, I really love thus video. I was just thinking the other day about why it is I keep reading. And I think "I read to be moved" really hits the Nail on the head. For once I am pleased that I did not have enough self control to ignore this notification a go back to studying. 😀
I’ve been hearing the phrase “I don’t rate it” more and more recently amongst my discerning friends and honestly I love it in relation to this. It’s a great way to say you didn’t like something, or that it didn’t matter to you, without dismissing the work itself as “bad” or “uninteresting”. I just don’t rate it (amongst my rankings). It’s possible I’m very wrong and misunderstanding the term. Fantastic video btw, as a amateur critic it’s given me a lot to think about as regards the way I write on art!
This this this!! I feel like in today’s society (especially in my online fandom circles) we deal in absolutes-something/someone is either terrible and irredeemable or fantastic and flawless. I think nuanced critique is so important, but this ideology promotes a headspace where when we consume media we are looking not for what we love but what could be better, and I think that sucks! I really like the way you worded this, John. This is why I love Nerdfighteria: we’re a community united by unabashed passion and love for things that move us.
I just read Dig by A.S King, and I think it's a great book and definitely worthy of everyone's attention and time. It calls us (as members of society in the twenty-first century) out in uncomfortably ways that we *need* to be confronted with. It's weird in the most delightful way, and I highly recommend it!!
I support this message.
I support this too and would argue that this is what makes for good criticism of any art, whether that be books, films, drawings, paintings, sculptures, music, dance, etc.
Username checks out
I think "it deserves my attention" is the best reason I have ever heard for a book being 'good'. I always struggle to explain why I think a book I've read is great so I'm gonna steal this
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I agree. And thinking about it, I realize that what I'm actually looking for in book recommendations isn't a genre or a type of story, it is a book that will give me a positive experience and be deserving of my attention.
Yes! This is it! The designation of "good" finally clicked when I heard John say it.
We have an unlimited amount of content and a limited amount of attention and time to experience it!
Some will like it and others will know what your tastes are and steer clear.
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"Should I have unshakable beliefs? Maybe. But for now, I'm letting books and art and life shake them." CHILLS!
Like, _dayum._
I commented before reading your comment, but yeah, same thing.
That quote got me thinking too. I think that John most definitely has unshakable beliefs, like ‘killing is wrong’ or ‘football is awesome’, but perhaps they only feel like unshakable beliefs when they are newly formed, when you can still imagine a version of yourself that could have acted contrary to your newly unshakable belief.
... just a thought, but maybe I’m drunk on introspection...man I wish somebody brewed a beer named that.
Nix Halcyon following your comment on John’s unshakable beliefs, I wondered if he is referring to specific works that challenged these or just how critiques can offer great points of insight and reflection. I hope it’s the former because I’d love to get a reading list for works that can do that!
John Green has the best quotes i swear
"I let books and arts shake my beliefs"
Poster suggestion sent to all libraries and classrooms
Rebekah Clarke YES PLEASE
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Skyscrapers are built to shake and sway without collapsing, and I think “big” beliefs can also be constructed this way.
+ Love that metaphor
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Yes and once in a while, we come across that one article, that one book, that one conversation, that's like a 9/11 of the mind. That shakes you so profoundly to your core that it is the end of an epoch in the history of your mind; everything after it is called post-9/11
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Occasionally a vlogbrothers video will come along that I know I will return to time and time again. I think this is one of those videos.
Ahhh thanks! -John
YES
Your title says "How I Read and Why" and you only really answered why. How exactly do you read? In a comfortable chair on your front lawn with some lemonade on the table beside you? I need details John.
I thought it was gonna be about illiteracy. Kinda blows my mind to think about, but since this is a an audio-visual medium - you could literally teach ppl howto read via youtube vids :O. The old 1990s early-internet part of my brain somehow still insists into my inuitions that the internet is text only.
I think the "how" part is when he explained the kind of frame work he uses when reading. Although the more physical how is also an interesting question...
yes, please. I want to know where you read most often and which beverage you choose. Or food. Both reading and food can be enjoyably consumed simultaneously.
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Search for the crash course mini course on literature. The introduction contains more "why" but also had the (iirc) exhortation to "read closely"
I’ve always thought of the job of critics as consuming *all* the media, and then telling us what we should spend our money and time on. But recently I’ve discovered that the best critics go further than that, and create their own art out of the analysis of other people’s art.
The best critics have a deep interest and understanding of the subject they’re criticising.
*take the film critic Mark Kermode for example. He goes further than ‘you should watch this film’. He understands what each film brings to the world and what it creates.
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This is reflected by Oscar Wilde’s essay titled “The Critic as an Artist”. Or maybe your viewpoint reflects said essay. Whichever way you wanna look at it.
Lindsay Ellis! 😊
I’m shocked that this isn’t about AFC Wimbledon.
Kate H Wasn’t it such wonderful news this week!
But he should be. The boys are really coming home in 2020!
So are Katherine and Hank
holly marie yes!
They are staying up!!!
www.bbc.com/sport/football/48074723
When I was teaching literature at my local community college, I would start off every semester by showing the students the first ever video from Crash Course Literature. It helped students to see that I wasn't just asking them to identify a metaphor, but to be able to tell me why it mattered. It also helped some students look at a work of literature outside of their own initial reaction and start to question/consider other impacts the text had. I think it was a great way to get students to start considering many of the points you make in this video.
I showed that video to my brother-in-law who teaches 7th-grade literacy. :) He thought it was super useful in the same way.
I showed it this week to my 6,7, and 8th grade LA classes!
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It's almost as of when a lot of people care about something (be it game of thrones, taylor swift's new aesthetic or books about conjoined twins) there's value in it regardless of how some people personally feel. Not that it's immune to criticism, but that it is an important thing to others in spite of (and because of) the reviewing around it. Maybe all of us who spent way too much time on Tumblr in 2012 are still learning this, but personal taste is not the only thing that matters in this discussion.
"I read to be moved, in every sense of the word: to go to places I haven't been, and to glimpse worlds I otherwise couldn't see, including the worlds deep within myself."
"I think what we mean when we say a book is "good" is that it's worth our attention. A good book is one that, if read generously, will offer big gifts in return." - John Green
This makes me want to review books in this spirit. Thanks, John!
The art of reviewing things and lifting up moments that were written/ produced well, reminds me of the concept of positive marking. We were told in teacher's training to always look for positive things in our student's work. A great phrase, a well applied idiom or a new perspective that you did not consider before. It validates their efforts and I do try to adapt that way of thinking when consuming media.
Did you just... critique... the act of critiquing... I need to go lay down lol. (Great video, though! 💕)
thewinterizzy +
It's critiques all the way down
I hope he expands on this in an episode of Anthropocene Reviewed.
SO META!
You need to go "lie" down, not "lay" down
Reading is a curse but I say that mostly because I read youtube comments
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Your channel is wonderful!!
Mia Mulder Ah, UA-cam comments, wherein one can explore murky depths of humanity’s worst and best use of its ability to communicate.
wishing you were jared, 19?
I am a college student studying library and Information Science and I just love this video so much! Thank you John for sharing your lens on the camera which is life. ❤️
Ohmygodsyes!
The bit about being unsure about everything hit me right in the recognition. When I was younger I thought reading would help me, in lack of a better word, make up my mind... about everything. Instead books usually help me to see things from more than just my own perspective.
My dad told me a quote (but I can’t remember from who he quoted). He said, ‘the moral of a good book is: It is more complicated than that’.
The longer I live, the more I’m starting to think that’s not just a useful guideline for books.
You know, the truth resists simplicity.
Omg I was writing in my journal last night about how I like finding the good in everything. I’m afraid of being a reviewer but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with loving almost every book I read. I feel like it’s one of my great traits. I feel the same way. Love you John, keep on reading.❤️
You “read generously” that’s so awesome
John, your book Turtles All the Way Down is one book that will stay with me forever. Your writing allows readers to see a different perspective of the world in a way that left a huge impact on me.
For a long time I have believed in the importance of letting things (books and art and life) shake your beliefs. It was one of those kind of abstract things that I never even really tried to put into words, but when you said that last phrase of the video it just rang so true to me that I replayed it several times.
Damn, I love vlog brothers!
"Should I have unshakeable beliefs? Maybe, but for now I'm letting books and art and life shake them"
That's honestly my only true belief.
As a librarian who's job is making recommendations I have to say I love this video with a vengeance! Thank you! I'll show it to my students.
Irulana27 you have students as a librarian?
@@mattb5881 yup. School librarian. Kids from 6 to 18 :)
Irulana27 oh cool
Loving with a vengeance is an interesting concept
australobuchia yeet
I've always found criticism interesting. Now I've realized I find criticism of criticism even more interesting. Great job John!
Your videos always seem so poetic it's kinda bananas
Is there something wrong with me that I always, without fail, read that word as bandanas and vice versa? 😁
@@itsjustbree9267 nah, i feel like it adds some spice. eating bananas? boring. eating bandanas? badass.
@@dragonsandwaffles258 Oh, I see. So I'm a spicy badass. 😁 🔥
It’s kinda chum chums
In the book "the perks of being a wallflower" (which changes every time I read it, honestly it's worth your time) Charlie (the main character) says something along the lines of " I think a book or a song is considered good if I feel different after reading or hearing it, if i'm not moved when it's over, it wasn't worth my time." anyways that was in my head during this whole video
I really wanna start a book club podcast. I feel like that’d be a great medium to do that kinda thing.
Do it! I'll listen!
Interesting! Would you have different guests come on to talk about a book you're discussing, or would you highlight listener comments about a section you've previously asked people to read? Or both + other stuff I haven't listed? TL;DR I'm interested and very curious about how this would be structured!
I’ll listen
That'd be really interesting.
I also love to discuss books with others. So I often have to force them to read what i read
awesome. would be cool if it came along with a discord server or something to discuss them.
this reminds me of Sarah's "A case for..." videos in Art Assignment, it's never "A case against" and that's the best way to look at life. Thanks John! 💖
This attitude is one I took to my own professional reviewing career, back when I was a video game critic from 2008-2016. I loved shining my tiny spotlight on games that normally wouldn't have seen the audience they deserved (or still deserve), and breaking down just WHY something was ineffective or not worth further time instead of "this is bad mrrgrrgrr" and adding fuel to the hateful fire.
I don't have much to add, just to add a further two cents that thoughtful criticism to boost the positives of a piece of art, whether interactive or passive storytelling, and harp on what takes away from the experience to hopefully avoid it from happening further in the same occasionally-lazy manner. "Sunlight is the best disinfectant" and all that.
DFTBA
I feel like the criticism format would be more helpful if they provided contrasting works so if they're like "this book has a really unrealistic depiction of depression" or whatever if it was followed by "unlike ________ which doesn't have those problems because..."
oh yeah any hot takes on the new the Mountain Goats album John? I've had Waylon Jennings Live! stuck in my head since I woke up with it there.
I love that song. The whole album is great, but that song might be my favorite! And yes, exactly--let's find ways to lift up what's worthy of our attention! -John
Several years ago, your video about Paper Towns on TED literally saved my life at my worst moments. Now, this video's just incinerated my doubts & frustrations of not having enough time (to read, to learn, to reflect).
I even learned about an interesting movie critic in the comment section thanks to the helpful & positive community gathered by your channels. Thank you :)
I thought this was an old video when I clicked on it, only to realize it came out no more than 10 minutes earlier. urrgh! yay!
I've been a nerdfighter for a year now I think
But I've just started reading John's books and now I have seen so many vlogbrothers videos that I read the book in John's voice in my head.
Your comment on unshakable beliefs really resonates with me. I too used to just know, so strongly what is what and beliefs were unshakable but I’m 31 now and as I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed my openness to things that can shake and crumble my previously solid ideas. It really makes me wonder about how others go through age and beliefs, but I know it’s not the same for everyone - I’ve a grandmother that only grew more resolute as she aged.
This is the kinda thing that makes me wish UA-cam still had the video response bc commenting feels a little inadequate, but I’m going to be thinking about this all day. That’s what happens when you watch vlogbrothers while cooking breakfast I guess.
Books that have changed my life:
The Lost Art of Dress
Little Women
A Match and a Fuse
We Were Liars
Gone With the Wind
In the Forests of the Night (that was the book that inspired little 12 yo me to start writing!)
Utopia
Anne of Green Gables
Little House series
I could go on but those are the main ones for now 💕
Ahhh this is so good. I wish everyone could focus more on what has a positive impact. After all, “we hate X” communities will probably never be remembered. I hope Nerdfighteria makes a lasting impact.
About the part where he talks about "unshakable beliefs"...I really relate. In my younger and more self assured days, I felt that if I kept searching for meaning in the universe's unsolvable philosophical dilemmas, I would build a strong sense of who I am and what I believed in and then, armed with this knowledge, I could advance quickly in the practical realm of things. It worked for a while but the world kept changing and what I believed in kept changing. I realized that maybe there isn't such a thing as a universal axiom that I can cling to for the comfort in the complex pattern of life. Strangely enough, there is still pleasure in the quest for these unanswerable questions; there might not be an outward use of these beliefs and values as they are constantly changing but they are necessary to be self assured in the moment at least. It is because of this, consuming art is such a wonderful thing. Where else are you going to be exposed to so much in so little? Life is most enjoyable in full tumult.
This is exactly how I read, with the want for this book to be my new favorite. That it’ll be the book that changed how I think what one thing or another. Also John, we need a new book suggestion list!
I’m currently reading Everything I Never Told You by Celeste NG and it’s simply wonderful.
Fantastic happy thoughts! My book reviews are focused on how that book made an impact on me since the beginning of my writing them, the reviews were only writing exercises. I have a few followers, but still, the reviews are for me. I want to remember how that book made me feel.
This put something I've felt for a long time into words better than I've ever managed! I started enjoying books and movies and TV and music so much more when I stopped worrying about whether stuff was 'good' and having 'guilty pleasures' and instead just let myself enjoy the things I enjoy. Part of the purpose of media and recreation in general is to relax, teach, and/or entertain. If I'm getting one of those things out of it, then I am happy to invest my attention for that reward.
John, your comment about being uncertain about being uncertain is right on target for me. I have often struggled with this part of me that began with my fear of not understanding others or growing because of my unshakeable beliefs. Not wanting to be close minded I overcompensated by being too open minded to the point where I found myself with no real hard opinions about anything. I gotta tell you it's not great, but I've been working on trying to find a balance between having strong beliefs and being open minded enough to understand other's world view without being swayed into it.
I’ve been feeling anxious as hell lately, I only slept an hour last night and this one isn’t going much better but I can’t thank this UA-cam channel enough, even when I’m anxious you help me see that there is still hope
Such an electrically energising and thought-provoking video that has got me thinking on both a personal and a worldly scale in terms of both the art I see and adore, the works I saw potential in and the creations of my own I wish to make manifest.
Thank you so much, John! Your books and these beautiful videos give me goosebumps!
I Love This! I so wish others would be of like mind on this one. I have been on the receiving end of the extreme version of the “I will point out everything I wish was different “ mind set- notes for feature screenplays! In reading a screenplay, the very most certain feedback comes as another reimagining what is written instead of taking in this new experience and enjoying it. I think you are talking about giving yourself permission to ENJOY a read!
In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the *new*. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new: an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, "Anyone can cook." But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist *can* come from *anywhere*. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more.
I love that man.. Mr. Green speaks to my soul in a way that only few other artists have done.
"i'm less moved by criticism in the colloquial sense like articles or videos explaining 'everything wrong with x'"
john green would be terrible at cinemasins. * ding*
I absolutely love these letter format rambling videos. It truly brightens and blesses my day to take a moment to just listen to the thoughts of a writer
This is sort of unrelated but I just got Spotify and found Hank’s songs on there! I was so happy, I cried. I can’t wait to go listen to that art 24x7
Would you care to leave a link ?
wooosh open.spotify.com/track/2kdqKFoCVzE1s4AUD2xmna?si=yZ-1EQ1jTxeGXy1TEKE4Fw
This is one of the first Hank songs I ever heard!
sometimes i find critics and reviewers doing the same thing that the art i read does - putting something into words that i can only think of in a nebulous sense. i read a review of endgame (i won't spoil anything) and i remember reading part of the critic's thoughts and thinking "oh my god, that's EXACTLY what i was thinking/feeling but couldn't put into words". interesting overlap between critics and the stuff they critique there, because i think a lot of art does the job of putting into practise or words a thought or feeling that i couldn't capture on my own.
great video john
Wow! You're definitely not forgetting to be awesome - there's so much positivity and insight and willingness to care about other people in this. It's a great reminder of why I love your channel
I was talking with my students just yesterday about the word incontrovertible and whether or not it's healthy to view anything as such. Of course there are a great many things that either are or aren't true, and I think there's danger in a postmodern denial of truth as a whole, but as I'm growing older I'm learning that the human experience largely isn't about truth. The human experience IS truth, evolving and growing and interacting with the universe around us as best as we can. I think understanding this concept helps us to have more grace as we interact with each other, and especially as we interact with our history and the art/artists of the past.
Every time one of you guys uploads something it make me think. Your videos are one of the few useful things I watch on youtube.
I LOVE the Bookthief! =D And I also Love Jane Eyre :D I wrote an essay about it once
Couldn't bear either, but that's my opinion. Neither felt like they had enough direction. Only my opinion tho
@@jaspergood2091 question for you Jasper Good, were those books you read for pleasure or were you assigned those books for school or university? Because, my opinion; I tend to hate books I'm 'forced' to read. I don't know why. Sometimes books assigned by school just really really aren't my preferred genres but other times I find that I probably would have enjoyed, if not loved, this book if it weren't forced on me. So what I did when I noticed this about me, was to assign myself books that I knew/guessed I would be asked to read if I attended an American High school. (I'm German, so English Lit isn't really a subject here)
So I made a list and I read those and so far loved every single one! It made me discover new genres, a slight obsession with Jane Eyre, and a love for classic literature, which I never thought I'd like because until I started to read them for myself, they always felt like an assignment.
Long story short; do you think you disliked those books because you (maybe) didn't feel like it was your choice to read them?
I had a hard time with the Book Thief as well. I tried to like it, but I couldn't.
@@maike__- Book Thief for school, Jane Eyre out of curiosity, I knew it was famous, thought I should read it
I call the Book Thief 'my favourite book I never read'. It's so good, but it makes me cry so much...
Reading can be an escape, an awakening, a place for hope or sorrow, or just static for the brain. I find that any book I can get into, I can get something back from, and that makes this type of media a true miracle to me. There is always some type of lesson or statement to be found. Even the reading I have done academically that I haven't enjoyed has touched me somehow. To all those authors from which that magic came (including both @vlogbrothers ) I give my most sincere thanks. You have touched my heart, and even more importantly, my mind.
I completely agree with your point on not giving bad things attention - and the more we direct our attention to the things that we really love, rather than those we dislike, the happier we tend to be.
I love this dialogue and think it is worthy of paying attention to and sharing. Thankyou!
I never really comment on anything but this short video is the most reassuring thing I’ve watched the whole of quarantine. I am just about to finish a literature degree (hello virtual graduation) and more and more I find conversations like this important. I remember a professor telling us a good novel will comfort the uncomfortable and discomfort the comfortable. I really believe that is true. We need to stop criticising from the point of view that ‘it wasn’t realistic’ or ‘it was too depressing’. If a novel stirs a reaction in you I think it is successful - even if that reaction is negative. Good books are unforgettable books. Good books are books you buy again to give to your friends because you don’t want to part with your copy. Good books leave you lying in thought on your bed for 30 minutes after you’ve finished them. Thank you for speaking about literature this way. High brow and low brow reading really ruffles feathers, we need to remember every book out there is important to someone. Let’s share the art that fills us up!!!!
Uncertainty (and doubt) is not a bad thing.
To quote one of my all-time favourite authors, Tage Danielsson; "Without a doubt, you are out of your mind". (love that wordplay, even tough it works a bit better in its original language (Swedish)).
Tage Danielsson was a brilliant humorist, satirist and humanist whos work was often very multilayered. And his passion for doubt was that it was "the foundation of all knowledge and the engine of all change".
So don't feel bad that you are more uncertain these days. That just means that you have a mind willing to change and adapt after new evidence. And that is a very wise position to have.
Great timing. I was just looking around my library to see what book to read next.
Don’t mind me
I was just reading Turtles All the Way Down again
It keeps making me cry
His works change my life every day ❤️
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One of the best books I've ever read 💙
I cried for like half of that book! I know a fair amount of OCD, but to get an inside look at just what intrusive thoughts are like was very eye opening for me! Also, it made me feel validated and not alone since I've struggled with my thoughts a lot from my anxiety and depression.
I am currently reading "the catcher in the rye" and halfway through I got of bored , but then I saw your part 1 review on the book that you made back in the day and I absolutly loved it. It showed me that I have to pay way more attention to small metaphores like the red hat or the often occuring question of Holden about the ducks. Your review makes me so much more interested in the second half of the book!
And I forgot to mention that my main reason on to why I bought this book was because it was in one of your book recommendation videos, which is kind of a review I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
As an English student, I think of my initial approach to a work of art as "taking it on its own terms"-do your absolute best to see value in it, to identify all the interesting things it's doing, assume that it has something substantial to say. If you're underwhelmed after doing that, then you can factor in value judgments. But you want to start by pushing past your own biases and doing your utmost to take it seriously.
Hey John congrats on Liverpool today man, huge comeback you love to see it
boy john, thanks again for that one about the conjoined twins, so so good, like truly literally one of my faves
To me, when people say they hate a piece of entertainment (either a book, piece of art, movie etc.) and they "hate" it for some reason other than it truly offends them, I immediately turn off my desire to listen to them, because it seems to me that A> it kills conversation and B> they want to talk about their reaction more than the quality of the work itself.
I absolutely love your way of thinking, finding more of a positive outlook to literature and why exactly this work of art deserves the attention surrounding it!
I have a blog on movie reviews :) And I purely write it because I find that it is great to question things, and as John said, art itself. I love this video in every sense of the word :) Thank you John!
I work at a center that runs a Master's program and one thing I really appreciate that our director pushes is that reading critically does not mean reading only to pick apart arguments and highlight their faults but to talk about why things deserve attention/or used to but no longer deserve such and appreciate what we can take away from everything we read.
I am returning to this channel after a while (~7 years) and one of my favorite things that the 2 of you do is encourage thought. Being uncertain about things inspires greater exploration and thought on those things, and that is amazing, so I guess my answer to should you be uncertain about uncertainty is, go and find out. I'll see you in your next video
How have john and hank been so good at this for so long. I’ve watched pretty much every vlog brothers video from 2010-now and always get excited for a new video
John, I truly enjoy your content so much. Every video of yours deserves my attention and I always go about my day a little bit happier after watching your videos. From my heart, I wish you a beautiful day and I want to say thank you. Take care John.
In speech today I had to give an impromptu speech on the quote " It is better to light a candle then to curse the darkness" Eleanor Roosevelt. This seems to be a similar idea, that it is better to look to the good then the bad.
A great example of this for me is the recent Nerdwriter video. In it he talked about this fight scene from a underrated show, Barry on HBO. And now that I've started seeing it I really like it. It's a great mish-mash of action and comedy, rarely seen done effectively in Tv shows.
And as John said, Nerdwriter's criticism helped highlight this piece of art that would've gone unnoticed from me.
For that I thank him.
The Anthropocene Reviewed is probably my current favorite media content and this video helped me understand why. I hope one day I can analyze things as thoughtfully and thought-provokingly as you do.
I truly believe that good art criticism can be a work of art on its own. Thanks for this video! I'm personally a sucker for tv and movie reviews, and there are definitely some reviews I come back to again and again, and they're usually the ones that spend their final paragraph ruminating on what it means to be human, inspired by that movie or episode or whatever. I find that the best reviews to read are the positive ones because it's a joy to read about someone else's love for something.
John Green always puts me in a thoughtful mood. The same reason I enjoy abstract math or literary theory. Cool stuff.
I know it is kind of silly to post on a year old video but this came back to me at the right time. Now more than every I have hated the question "Is X good?" because I find it hard to recommend things that are not great when asked that. I find myself responding a lot with well I enjoyed it, which never felt like the correct answer. Your statement of good being "worth our attention" spoke to me and I think I am going to start viewing my reviews in that light.
A book that still claims me attention, and follows me along in life, is When We Have Wings by Clare Corbett. It made me ask questions, and at times made me uncomfortable in my stance on those questions, while remaining a fully immersive universe that took me places.
While we’re talking about art and writing that deserve to be paid attention to, I just want to add some writing and art that really helped me and that I really enjoy.
1) Nikita Gill’s many writings. My favorite quote: “To my children, I will say, ‘Fill your skin with kindness and find solace in your solitude. It takes bravery to be kind. But to be brave you will need to know how to stand for something even if your are completely alone.”
2) All the Light We Cannot See, which was a NYT bestseller I think but still one of my favorite books of all time.
3) I’m not sure if this counts as art but here’s a video of a crow (raven?) hopping along to a song by The Beach Boys: m.ua-cam.com/video/UrnR6GDNE_w/v-deo.html
4) Celeste Ng: Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You
5) The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
6) I’m sure you’ve seen this before but I love Poorly Drawn Lines comics.
7) Dirgewithoutmusic and Annerb on ao3 - they write so beautifully about characters from the Harry Potter universe.
8) Nicholas Yee’s UA-cam channel where he does cello instrumental versions of popular music or themes: m.ua-cam.com/channels/YmtA5JyueBoUuLdS90fvvQ.html
dirgewithoutmusic and their "In defense of Andromeda Tonks nee Black" is 100% responsible for the fact that I now read fanfic voraciously instead of looking down my nose at it as a lesser form of art. And "The kids who chose themselves" was the work I selected to discuss plot AU in my fanfic101 class.
I'll get back to this video again and again. Thank you John Green for existing ❤
I would like to say that some times a work being bad makes it worthy of attention. I really enjoy the Cinema sins channel, they are pretty easy punching bags rn, but I think it’s fun and sometimes enlightening to look at how things are bad or nitpick things.
Great video, loved the concept and the commentary on hate culture. I feel like the issues we have with criticism toward books are similar to issues we have toward other cultural institutions, including people (think cancel culture). I go back and forth on how I feel about the productivity of that kind of analysis. Thanks for 3 minutes and 43 seconds of your thoughts.
Good criticism of art (movies, books, music, etc) also helps clarify opinions. If a reviewer puts into words something I like or dislike about a piece of art, it helps me think more critically about the art I consume and articulate to myself what I like and why.
Nitpicky reviewing is the exact opposite. It doesn't help you think big picture, it just puts a spotlight on small flaws, which don't necessarily make or break pieces of media.
I have to say, that i celebrate the way how you described your way of looking at books/art. Maybe your point of view in this field is one of the reasons why I'd enjoyed your crash course liuterature videos so much. I like the way of discover new layers behind a story and your videos were a dwell of unlimited beauty. I wish you happiness by your actuell books and hope that someday there will be new literature videos, too..hach sweet dreams.
This is such a beautifully worded video. I never thought about reviews and criticism in this way. Thank you!
Another lovely video, John, thank you [: I enjoy glimpsing little snippets of your life philosophy.
I really appreciate your views as a writer and a reader and a thinker.
That podcasts looks so fascinating! I’m glad I heard about it
The excitement of everything about Hank's book (which I'm reading while commuting) is making me come home with a smile every day. So "An absolutely remarkable thing" MOST DEFINITELY deserves my attention.
I really appreciate this video and it really puts things into perceptive. Thanks John !
John Green I love your work but also we need a crach course in environmental studies!!!!!
Ah, I really love thus video. I was just thinking the other day about why it is I keep reading. And I think "I read to be moved" really hits the Nail on the head. For once I am pleased that I did not have enough self control to ignore this notification a go back to studying. 😀
Thank you! This was a delightful and winsome explaation of your aesthetic sense.
I’ve been hearing the phrase “I don’t rate it” more and more recently amongst my discerning friends and honestly I love it in relation to this. It’s a great way to say you didn’t like something, or that it didn’t matter to you, without dismissing the work itself as “bad” or “uninteresting”. I just don’t rate it (amongst my rankings).
It’s possible I’m very wrong and misunderstanding the term.
Fantastic video btw, as a amateur critic it’s given me a lot to think about as regards the way I write on art!
This is one of the best videos about reading and writing I have ever watched. Thanks, John.
This this this!! I feel like in today’s society (especially in my online fandom circles) we deal in absolutes-something/someone is either terrible and irredeemable or fantastic and flawless. I think nuanced critique is so important, but this ideology promotes a headspace where when we consume media we are looking not for what we love but what could be better, and I think that sucks! I really like the way you worded this, John. This is why I love Nerdfighteria: we’re a community united by unabashed passion and love for things that move us.
Thanks for another thoughtful video, John
I just read Dig by A.S King, and I think it's a great book and definitely worthy of everyone's attention and time. It calls us (as members of society in the twenty-first century) out in uncomfortably ways that we *need* to be confronted with. It's weird in the most delightful way, and I highly recommend it!!
We want Crash Course Literature back!!!
Yeeeeesss