“Standing before this building, I learn something about fear. I learn that it is not the idle fantasies of someone who maybe wants something important to happen to him, even if the important thing is horrible. It is not the disgust of seeing a dead stranger, and not the breathlessness of hearing a shotgun pumped outside of Becca Arrington’s house. This cannot be addressed by breathing exercises. This fear bears no analogy to any fear I knew before. This is the basest of all possible emotions, the feeling that was with us before we existed, before this building existed, before the earth existed. This is the fear that made fish crawl onto dry land and evolve lungs, the fear that teaches us to run, the fear that makes us bury our dead.”

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About John Green

American author and YouTuber

John Michael Green is an American author and YouTuber, known for his work in young adult fiction and online video. He has 491 quotes on the site. His books have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. Among them is The Fault in Our Stars, published in 2012 and widely ranked among the best-selling books of all time. His rapid rise and distinctive voice are often credited with helping reshape the young adult fiction market. He is also known for his YouTube projects with his younger brother, Hank Green.

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Books by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars

2012

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Looking for Alaska

2006

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Paper Towns

2008

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An Abundance of Katherines

2006

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Will Grayson, Will Grayson

2012

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