John Green Is A Hobbit

Did you know that hobbits don't get gifts on their birthday, they give them? It's one of the things I love about hobbits and their culture. I suspect that John Green, the best selling, award winning author and Vlogbrother is at least part hobbit.

You see, I just found out that John Green's birthday is August 24th and, if you follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, or GetGlue then you know exactly what I was doing on August 24, 2012. It all began in my mailbox...

That afternoon, I walked up the block to my Barnes & Noble (Yep. That's right. I claimed it. It's mine.), grabbed a stack of books to look at and start reading.

However, there was really only one book in that stack I was thinking about when I left my house. It was The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.  It's the book I've been wanting to buy all year. It's the book I somehow missed at BEA. It's the book I've been wanting to read, but, to be honest with you, I have been afraid to. You're probably saying, Nicole, really? Book fear?! Well, it was more like emotion fear... the protagonist is a young girl with cancer. I lost my mom to cancer in 2006 and I wasn't sure I was ready to voluntarily place myself in a fictional world that would cause me to face the monster again. Here's what happened when I finally, bravely, started reading:

That's all it took. I trusted John Green to take me where I needed to go. Not too long after that I bought the book and brought it home. I read until I fell asleep. On Saturday morning I woke up and finished reading the book in my bed - in my PJs, without breakfast - without moving until I finished the book. Here are the reactions (the few times I stopped for a moment to document them) during my read:

1. Compliments to the author:

 

2. When I noticed my shirt was getting soggy from tears:

 

I grabbed a roll of toilet paper...

3. Proof of my unconditional love of my little brother:

 

4. The dramatic conclusion:

It was John Green's hope that readers "feel all of things" when reading this book, well, I did. And I needed to. For that alone The Fault In Our Stars was an amazing gift. It was a gift from John Green to me on his birthday and I didn't get him ANYTHING! This is my proof that John Green's family lineage must extend back to the Shire. John Green is a hobbit and that is that. Perhaps some day I will be able to meet him for second-breakfast and thank him for all that he gave me within these pages...

Have you read The Fault In Our Stars yet? If so, what did you think?

If not, check out the YouTube video of John Green himself reading Chapter 1!