Today is the day so many young adults AND adults have been waiting for, the movie release of "The Fault In Our Stars" I have not seen this kind of devotion to a movie and it's book since Harry Potter came to our world! And with the devotion to Harry Potter, there was also a fascination with author J.K. Rowling. Her "rags to riches" story enamored the public and gave much deserved accolades and kudos to an author! I would suspect that John Green has garnered even more recognition, hype and star status! John Green has created stories of young adults where the characters are real, flawed and like many of the people we run into every day. The adults in his stories are not behind the scenes, or some crazy individual who has created a hostile and dangerous environment where kids have to overcome impossible odds. And while this is a reality for many teens, it is nice as an adult to read a story where the parents play a healthy and supportive role. His appeal to both young adults and adults has risen him to an almost cult like status.
So I would argue that although the excitement for the movie is insane, I believe it is the book and more importantly John Green that has driven it to legendary heights. John Green's ability to connect and relate to young adults in all forms, through Twitter, Tumblr, Skype, email etc makes him accessible and real. He is an adult teens can understand because he himself is flawed and doesn't hide it. His devotion to his fans, his craft and to creating realistic characters is his gift to the world.
The following is an article about John Green from
The New Yorker. It is comprehensive but worth the time to read. It brings to light the man, the myth and I would say the future legend. He has put young adult literature back on the map where it so richly deserves and I hope through him, other young adult authors will be recognized for their contribution to such an important genre.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2014/06/09/140609fa_fact_talbot?currentPage=all
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