Episode · The Book Review · 2026-09-18
Books mentioned on John Green Knows a True Hollywood Ending is Complicated
MJ Franklin is in the host chair this week, in for Gilbert Cruz. MJ spoke with New York Times book critic Dwight Garner about Marlon James’s new novel, “The Disappearers.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a bestselling young adult novel that follows two teenagers suffering from terminal cancer who meet in a support group and fall in love.
Discussed“He's probably best known for his uber bestselling novel, The Fall in Our Stars, which was adapted into a blockbuster film.”
Where to get it
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Hollywood, Ending
Hollywood, Ending by John Green is a contemporary novel centering on two young actors who find themselves navigating the intense pressures of sudden fame and survival.
Discussed“And in the periods where I was writing Hollywood Ending, which was sort of hit and miss between those non-fiction books and then for the last two years pretty much non-stop, I I couldn't write about anything other than these these two young people trying to survive this stuff because the book becomes undeniable at some point.”
Where to get it
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Everything Is Tuberculosis
Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green is a comprehensive non-fiction work exploring the history, science, and ongoing persistence of one of humanity's deadliest infectious diseases.
Discussed“I think in everything is tuberculosis, the book I wrote most recently, I said that for me, writing is like the the child's pool game, Marco Polo.”
Where to get it
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Sula
Sula by Toni Morrison is a powerful and lyrical novel that examines the complex, lifelong friendship between two Black women growing up in a small Ohio town while confronting the oppressive weight of racism and community expectations.
Recommended“Sula by Tony Morrison or I could say The Bluest Eye.”
Where to get it
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The Bluest Eye
The Bluest Eye is Toni Morrison's devastating debut novel that explores the destructive impact of societal beauty standards and systemic racism on a young Black girl growing up in mid-century America.
Recommended“Sula by Tony Morrison or I could say The Bluest Eye.”
Where to get it
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Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison is a celebrated novel that explores themes of identity, family history, and African American heritage.
Recommended“I could say Song of Solomon.”
Where to get it
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Mysteries of Pittsburgh
Mysteries of Pittsburgh is a coming-of-age novel by Michael Chabon that follows a young man navigating love, identity, and the complexities of human relationships during the summer after his college graduation.
Recommended“The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Shaban.”
Where to get it
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Slaughterhouse-Five
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is an iconic postmodern anti-war novel that follows the life and fragmented timeline of Billy Pilgrim, a soldier who becomes unstuck in time after surviving the firebombing of Dresden.
Recommended“Uh the Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonagget.”
Where to get it
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Their Eyes Were Watching God
Zora Neale Hurston's classic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God tells the impactful story of Janie Crawford and her journey toward self-realization and independence in the American South.
Recommended“And then the last book I'll site from that really has had a long-term impact on me is their Eyes Were Watching God by Zorn Hursten.”
Where to get it
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The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby by F.
Discussed“Like a lot of teenagers are living through trauma a lot unfortunately.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“But he has a robust catalog of other titles, too, including Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, Everything is Tuberculosis, and more.”
“But he has a robust catalog of other titles, too, including Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, Everything is Tuberculosis, and more.”
“But he has a robust catalog of other titles, too, including Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, Everything is Tuberculosis, and more.”