Life's Library

In Faces in the Crowd, the narrative unfolds through multiple, fragmented perspectives, touching upon literary worlds, city life, and the ghosts that are present in our everyday lives. In this episode, John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss the symbolism of the orange tree, the humor that interlaces the book’s melancholic atmosphere, and the changing cultural attitudes towards death and grief throughout the past thousand years.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in October 2020. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

“Oh! I'm sorry for stepping on your / shadow! and Please be careful! My shadow is caught in the wheels / of your shopping cart." In this episode, John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss Paige Lewis’s debut poetry collection in all of its playful, moving, relatable, romantic, and fantastical glory.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in September 2020. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

In Blonde Roots, Bernardine Evaristo imagines a history where “Aphrikans” enslaved “whytes.” What systems would be different, and what would remain similar? In this episode, John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss what it means to reframe historical narratives and the difficulty of asserting one’s personhood when structures of power refuse to acknowledge one’s humanity.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in July 2020. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas selected Journey to the Center of the Earth as a bonus public domain pick for Life’s Library during the first months of the pandemic. In this episode, they discuss the novel and the 1959 movie, contemplating topics of translation, abridgement, Romantic awe, and the story’s surprising relevance to modern times.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in May 2020. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

As the first guest curator for Life’s Library, Hank Green selected All Systems Red, a science fiction novella about a self-aware cyborg named Murderbot. In this episode, Hank and Martha Wells, the author, discuss writing characters that are smarter than themselves, which real-life show Murderbot’s favorite soap is based on, and the dystopia of our corporate world.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in April 2020. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

Though Parable of the Sower was published in 1993 about a dystopian world in 2024, the society it depicts bears certain striking resemblances to the world today. Amidst such destruction, what could be a shared goal that unites all humans? To Lauren, Earthseed is the answer. In this episode, John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas ponder change as destiny.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in February 2020. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

Howl’s Moving Castle was the first community pick of Life’s Library! In this episode, John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas draw connections between the magic and spellbinding characters in this novel to other children’s books. They also discuss domestic work, the Faustian dilemma, interdependence, and the framing of fate.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in January 2020. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

The Summer Book is a small, calm book of vignettes that makes one feel as if they are reading through memories unstuck in time. In this episode, John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss the physical setting of the island, the sneaky humor of characters like Grandma and Sophia, and the themes of grief and fear as they are interwoven throughout the book.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in November 2019. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

“The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” - Dr. Paul Farmer

In this episode, John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss the late Dr. Farmer’s work, Partners in Health’s mission, and the tuxedo problem. You can read more about Life’s Library’s work with Partners in Health at https://pih.org/hankandjohn.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in October 2019. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

“A great short story can end in that way where you almost feel a turn inside of you. Like you feel a turn in your gut.” John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss letting oneself fall into short stories and the moments in them when things just click.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in August 2019. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.