An Abundance of Katherines

Book read: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Number of pages: 227

Number of reading days: 1

Why I read this book: Because I am made of awesome. (See Vlogbrothers FAQ). And it was a John Green novel I hadn't read yet.

Thoughts: My favorite John Green novel is still Will Grayson, Will Grayson, but Katherines pulls a close second. I liked this book because it didn't try to punch my heart out; it was funny and lighthearted, yet meaningful. There were no manic pixie dream girls, which, I have to admit, was quite a relief. And I liked Colin, even though he's an arrogant, annoying, and whiny protagonist. I was able to relate to him in an odd sort of way. Probably because his best friend always tells him "Not interesting" when he starts rambling about not-so-interesting topics.

"'Not interesting,' Hassan said. Hassan's not-interestings had helped Colin figure out what other people did and did not enjoy hearing about. Colin had never gotten that before Hassan, because everyone else either humored or ignored him. Or, in the case of Katherines, humored then ignored. Thanks to Colin's collected list of things that weren't interesting, 15 he could hold a halfway normal conversation." 

The footnote is: "Among many, many others, the following things were definitely not interesting: the pupillary sphincter, mitosis, baroque architecture, jokes that have physics equations as punch lines, the British monarchy, Russian grammar, and the significant role that salt has played in human history."

Ever since reading this book a few years ago, my oh so loving sister has been using not-interestings on me. Which is probably fitting since that entire list of supposed not-interestings sounded wonderfully interesting.

Colin also reminded me of Blakemore in South Downs by David Hare. Another of my favorite socially awkward, can't keep any friends, too smart for his own good type of character.

 "Are you one of those very clever people who understands what no one else understands, but then doesn't understand what everyone else understands?" ~ Duffield to Blakemore

Favorite Passages & Quotes:

“What's the point in being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? How very odd, to believe God gave you life, and yet not think that life asks more of you than watching TV.”

"Do you ever wonder whether people would like you more or less if they could see inside you?... If people could see me the way I see myself--if they could live in my memories--would anyone, anyone, love me?"

“Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.” 

"You're so god-damned scared of the idea that someone might dump you that your whole fugging life is built around the idea of not getting left behind. Well, it doesn't work, kafir. It just--it's not just dumb, it's ineffective. Because then you're not being a good friend or a good boyfriend or whatever, because you're only thinking they-might-not-like-me-they-might-not-like-me, and guess what? When you act like that, no one likes you."

"He liked the mere act of reading, the magic of turning scratches on a page into words inside his head.” 


For other books I'm reading this summer, see: Summer Reading List 2012