Tour de Nerdfighting: Writer and vlogger John Green comes to Austin

Award-winning young adult author John Green’s newest novel, The Fault in Our Stars, has only been out one week, but the story has been 10 years in the making.

Green first started the book in 2000, after working as a student chaplain at a children’s hospital. He wasn’t able to make the story work then — he wanted “a funny, honest story that wasn’t too sentimental or self-indulgent,” so he put the book away and went on to write several hugely popular titles; Looking For Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns and Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which he co-authored with David Levithan.

Years later he met Ester Earl, a 16-year-old girl battling thyroid cancer, who re-inspired him.

"The inspiration she gave me was not about her illness, it was about her empathy," Green told The Seattle Times.

The Fault In Our Stars follows a teenage cancer patient and cancer survivor — Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters, respectively — through the arduous tasks of living and falling in love while battling a life-threatening illness. Hazel, the narrator of the story, is a smart, cynical, funny and at times rightfully angry 16-year-old who’s been on the cusp of death and knows what it’s like to live surrounded by the dying.

While the story doesn’t skip out on the tragic reality of cancer — pain, shame, anger, depression — the strengths and, largely, the weaknesses of these two characters are what connects you to what is ultimately their love story.

In the end, The Fault In Our Stars is beautifully written, showcasing Green’s typical style of prose; philosophical undertones, a lot of humor, endearing characters and a big twist. The story is heartbreakingly devastating yet filled with hope, love and more laughter than you would think possible from a book about young cancer patients.

Green, along with his brother Hank, created a YouTube channel called Vlogbrothers that passed the 500 video mark earlier this month. The Vlogbrothers (originally titled Brotherhood 2.0) began in 2007 as a way of communicating long distance with each other through videos instead of by text or phone. Topics have ranged from Phineas Gage and the odd mating habits of animals to the last words of famous people and the top 10 weirdest diseases.

The channel now boasts over 600,000 subscribers and has garnered its own secret (or not so secret) community called Nerdfighters. Nerdfighters is an open-to-all Internet community with members all over the world who are united in decreasing "WorldSuck" by donating money, time and awareness to organizations and foundations that help people in need.

Green has seen the power of social media — with over one million T witter followers and 75,000 Facebook fans — the good that can come from uniting a community and how one simple act of kindness can snowball into something great.

It’s not just about selling books or how many views you have on YouTube; it’s about helping people and using whatever it is you have — no matter how big or small — to make a difference.

On Jan. 21 at 7p.m., Green and his brother Hank will be making their Austin stop at the Westlake Community Performing Arts Center as part of their off-site visit through BookPeople. Tickets are still available, they are $25 and includes a signed copy of The Fault In Our Stars and a guaranteed seat at the event.

Here's a FAQ video on everything Nerdfighter:

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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