- feeds
- popular
- recent
- reader
- about
- story
- technologies
- what is rss
- connect
- dmca
- contact
- Feed Preview LFA Questions Answered
I am not a very good critical reader, I feel I can enjoy books but I don’t really take something anyways, any advice?
Here's how J. D. Salinger dedicated one of his books: "If there is an amateur reader still left in the world—or anybody who just reads and runs—I ask him or her, with untellable affection and...
https://onlyifyoufinishedalaska.tumblr.com/post/100168050633
Why the switch from past to present tense around Alaska’s...haven’t used this in any book since, as far as I’m aware?)
I used it again in Paper Towns. I ALMOST used it in TFIOS, but Julie encouraged me to cut it. (Originally, TFIOS moved between past and present tense almost every paragraph.) So when I am telli...
https://onlyifyoufinishedalaska.tumblr.com/post/100167740098
Why is it that on blog brothers you were very cautious to reveal if you are religious or not but here you don’t hesitate?
I'm not cautious. Hank and I have both talked about that stuff before. I just don't find it very INTERESTING. I think this bright line between theism and atheism and all the assumptions that go a...
https://onlyifyoufinishedalaska.tumblr.com/post/100167399673
After reading four of your books I am curious to know what your opinion of God is?
I think God is such a good idea that if God didn't exist, we'd have to invent God. (I am Episcopalian. My church was started because a King wanted to divorce his wife and annex a bunch of land ...
Okay are there legit plans for Looking for Alaska to be mad...I heard plans and if they’re true, my life will be complete.
Soon after celebrating the 10th anniversary of Looking for Alaska's publication, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Paramount owning the movie rights to Looking for Alaska. Over the year...
What questions do you feel were answered for yourself through the experience of writing Looking For Alaska?
There were many times writing this book that I felt it was my only hope. I would often say to my family or friends this like, "This novel is my only chance." I couldn't articulate it further than...
Should Miles and Chip feel guilty about Alaska’s death ?
Yeah. But it is possible to feel guilty and also to feel other things, and for me anyway there is a lot of hope in that: I still feel sad about sad things that have happened to me. I still feel...
The novel begins “one hundred thirty-six days before” a...y-six days after.” Is there any significance to this number?
Well, only that the school year is usually around 273 days, and I wanted Alaska's death to occur in the exact temporal center of the book.
Who are Tori and Ani?
Oh God I am so old and that book is so old. (Tori Amos and Ani Difranco.)
Does it matter how Alaska died?
So there are going to be questions in your life--big questions--that need to be answered and deserved to be answered but nonetheless go unanswered. There will be questions around deaths and fri...
Why Strawberry Hill wine in particular?
...It is what I drank in high school. (Trying to think of some metaphor...) Yeah. It's just what we drank in high school.
This may seem really crazy to you. But my name is Alaska. I...s i know I’m pretty much the only Alaska in this world. Lol.
I'm going to recommend that you not read the book, actually. (That's amazing if true.)
What nationality is Colonel and his mother? There appear to be many clichés implying he maybe american american?
BBTTR. (I do not know what American American is, so I feel particularly unqualified to answer this question. But even if I did know what it was, still: BBTTR.)
In Alaska, they drink Strawberry Hill wine in the barn afte...they’re waiting to rescue the girls. Was this a coincidence?
I don't know. I read and loved The Virgin Suicides as a high school senior, and it's possible it wasn't a coincidence at all but some lingering memory of that book. On the other hand, I also dr...
Can you please explain the significance of the last few sentences? The quote of Edison’s last words?
It is an invocation of hope in the life of the world to come.
When did you write the scene with Alaska and Pudge making out in her bedroom?
Early. The first draft of that was I think in the 40 single-spaced pages I sent to Ilene way back in 2002. I don't even think it changed that much over time. That's one of the very few passages t...
“Through a buggy twilight, I walked to the pay phone, whi...20;773.573.6521; JG—Kuffs?).” Who’s number is/ was that?
The 773 number was my cell phone number until 2007. It is now someone else's cell phone number in all likelihood, so please don't call it. (A handful of people called me over the years, and i...
Hey, John, I realize that authorial intent of metaphors isn...ink about bigger things, but why do authors use foreshadowing?
It makes you nervous; it keeps you reading; and ultimately, anticipation makes for more interesting and engaging reading than surprise.
Do you like Alaska as a person ?
I love her as a person. As for liking her: I've always sort of preferred people who are not entirely likable.
If you had a Venn diagram with one side labeled as “girls...n,” the middle would be labeled “Lara.” Jus’ sayin’.
Yeah, I mean, this really isn't my area of expertise. As previously noted, I was mostly just in it for the symbolism.