Hank Green

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES  BESTSELLER Who has the right to change the world forever?  How will we live online?  How do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world?   The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While the robots were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction with only their presence. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely death of April a young woman who stumbled into Carl’s path, giving them their name, becoming their advocate, and putting herself in the middle of an avalanche of conspiracy theories.    Months later, April’s friends are trying to find their footing in a post-Carl world. Andy has picked up April’s mantle of fame, speaking at conferences and online; Maya, ravaged by grief, begins to follow a string of mysteries that she is convinced will lead her to April; and Miranda is contemplating defying her friends’ advice and pursuing a new scientific operation…one that might have repercussions beyond anyone’s comprehension. Just as it is starting to seem like the gang may never learn the real story behind the events that changed their lives forever, a series of clues arrive—mysterious books that seem to predict the future and control the actions of their readers—all of which seems to suggest that April could be very much alive.   In the midst of the search for the truth and the search for April is a growing force, something that wants to capture our consciousness and even control our reality. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing . It is a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions about the way we live, our freedoms, our future, and how we handle the unknown.

April May and the Carls are back in the much-anticipated sequel to Hank Green's #1 New York Times bestselling debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While they were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction without ever lifting a finger. Well, that’s not exactly true. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely death of April May: a young woman who stumbled into Carl’s path, giving them their name, becoming their advocate, and putting herself in the middle of an avalanche of conspiracy theories. Months later, the world is as confused as ever. Andy has picked up April’s mantle of fame, speaking at conferences and online about the world post-Carl; Maya, ravaged by grief, begins to follow a string of mysteries that she is convinced will lead her to April; and Miranda infiltrates a new scientific operation . . . one that might have repercussions beyond anyone’s comprehension. As they each get further down their own paths, a series of clues arrive—mysterious books that seem to predict the future and control the actions of their readers; unexplained internet outages; and more—which seem to suggest April may be very much alive. In the midst of the gang's possible reunion is a growing force, something that wants to capture our consciousness and even control our reality. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. It’s a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions. How will we live online? What powers over our lives are we giving away for free? Who has the right to change the world forever? And how do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world?

Wędrująca przez Nowy Jork o trzeciej nad ranem dwudziestotrzyletnia April May napotyka gigantyczną rzeźbę. Zachwycona widokiem trzymetrowego transformera w samurajskiej zbroi, na­ma­wia swojego kumpla Andy’ego do uwiecznienia znaleziska w krótkim filmiku, który szybko publikują na ­YouTubie. Następny dzień okazuje się dla April początkiem nowego, viralowego życia, zwłaszcza że takie same roboty pojawiły się jednocześnie w kilkunastu miastach na świecie – od Pekinu po Buenos Aires. April, jako pierwsza reporterka tego wydarzenia, ląduje w centrum zainteresowania mediów i postanawia skorzystać z szansy, by zostawić po sobie jakiś ślad na ziemi. Nie wie jednak, jak wielkiej i zdumiewającej sprawy stała się częścią. Hank Green, brat słynnego pisarza Johna Greena, w swoim literackim debiucie porusza ważne i aktualne tematy. Mówi o wpływie mediów społecznościowych, o sposobach radzenia sobie ze strachem i niepewnością, o hejcie i uwielbieniu towarzyszącym osobom, których życie wystawione jest na widok publiczny.

La vida de April May nunca volverá a ser la misma. Volviendo a casa a las tres de la mañana, April se encontró con una escultura gigante, sobre la que colgó un vídeo. Ahora los Carls, las misteriosas estatuas que aparecen y desaparecen en el mundo entero, se han hecho virales, y April May con ellas. ¿Será esta su oportunidad para dejar huella en el mundo? April pronto descubrirá las consecuencias que toda esta atención conlleva, y que el mundo haya depositado en ella la responsabilidad de averiguar qué son los Carls y, sobre todo... qué quieren de nosotros. Poderosamente relevante e imposible de dejar de leer, Algo absolutamente extraordinario trata grandes temas como las redes sociales, la radicalización de los discursos y la deshumanización que conlleva la fama.

In his much-anticipated debut novel, Hank Green--cocreator of Crash Course, Vlogbrothers, and SciShow--spins a sweeping, cinematic tale about a young woman who becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing she's part of something bigger, and stranger, than anyone could have possibly imagined. The Carls just appeared. Coming home from work at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship--like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor--April and her friend Andy make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world--everywhere from Beijing to Buenos Aires--and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight. Now April has to deal with the pressure on her relationships, her identity, and her safety that this new position brings, all while being on the front lines of the quest to find out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us. Compulsively entertaining and powerfully relevant, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing grapples with big themes, including how the social internet is changing fame, rhetoric, and radicalization; how our culture deals with fear and uncertainty; and how vilification and adoration spring from the same dehumanization that follows a life in the public eye.

This DFTBA exclusive zine serves as supplementary material for Hank's new book, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor. Written by Hank, with cover art by Sara Wong, hand lettered illustrations by Sam Schultz.

I am so pleased to present to you my short story "Bonker Doesn't Die." I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this publicly, but the first time I imagined a protagonist named April May, it was for a young readers series I had considered writing called "The Peculiar and Fuzzy Mysteries of April May." They would be stories about a teenager who found people's pets, but in the process, also discovered dastardly plans and uncovered general misdeeds. I did a bunch of research on how pet detectiving works, and I still think it's a cool idea, but when I had an idea I was more excited about, I poached the character I had imagined as a precocious teen and made her into an adult. I also poached her name. It's weird how all of this works. Well, one of the problems is, we don't get to see April doing much pet detective work in the duology. Another frequently identified problem, there's NOT ENOUGH ROBIN!! So, I thought I would solve both of those problems with this little story. "Bonker Doesn't Die" takes place around mid-way through An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, and it does contain spoilers for that story! Thanks so much for supporting the Project for Awesome, and I hope you liked this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! Hank

Ein paar Klicks, ein kurzer Film, eine spontane nächtliche Aktion – und Aprils Leben steht auf dem Kopf. Eigentlich hatte sie nur eine mysteriöse, aber beeindurckende Roboter-Skulptur gefilmt und ins Netz gestellt und ihr aus Sapß den Namen CARL gegeben – nichts Besonderes eigentlich, doch als sie am nächsten Morgen aufwacht, ist sie berühmt. Überall auf der Welt sind Carls aufgetaucht, niemand weiß, woher sie kommen, niemand weiß, wofür sie gut sind. April wird zur Carl-Expertin, die Medien stürzen sich auf sie, ihre Videos verbreiten sich millionenfach. Doch im Zentrum der weltweiten Hysterie erntet sie nicht nur Likes...

La vida de April May nunca volverá a ser la misma. Volviendo a casa a las tres de la mañana, April se encontró con una escultura gigante, sobre la que colgó un vídeo. Ahora los Carls, las misteriosas estatuas que aparecen y desaparecen en el mundo entero, se han hecho virales, y April May con ellas. ¿Será esta su oportunidad para dejar huella en el mundo? April pronto descubrirá las consecuencias que toda esta atención conlleva, y que el mundo haya depositado en ella la responsabilidad de averiguar qué son los Carls y, sobre todo, qué quieren de nosotros.

Scifillä maustettu hauska ja koukuttava kuvaus tubemaailman koukeroista Suositun tubettajan esikoisromaani on viihdyttävä scifi-mysteeri, joka sivuaa painavia ja ajankohtaisia teemoja: kuinka sosiaalinen media muokkaa keskustelukulttuuria ja kuinka julkisuus on oma maailmansa, jolla ei ole juurikaan tekemistä todellisuuden kanssa. Parikymppinen taideopiskelija April May asuu New Yorkissa yhdessä kämppiksensä, on-off-tyttöystävänsä Mayan kanssa. Eräänä aamuyönä April törmää jalkakäytävällä seisovaan jättiläismäiseen patsaaseen. Hän nimeää patsaan Carliksi ja kuvaa siitä ystävänsä Andyn kanssa videon, jonka Andy jakaa YouTube-tilillään. Seuraavana päivänä videosta on tullut viraali-ilmiö ja Aprilista somejulkkis. Käy ilmi, että Carleja on ilmestynyt kymmeniin kaupunkeihin eri puolille maapalloa. Aprilin odotetaan selvittävän Carlien salaisuus: mistä ne ovat tulleet ja mitä ne tarkalleen ottaen meiltä haluavat. Pian hän joutuu huomaamaan, kuinka kuuluisuus asettaa vaakalaudalle hänen ihmissuhteensa, turvallisuutensa ja identiteettinsä – koko hänen elämänsä. Hank Green haastaa esikoisromaanillaan komeasti isoveljensä, lukijoiden rakastaman John Greenin. Ihan mieletön juttu näyttää somejulkisuuden pimeän puolen, josta Greenin veljeksillä on taatusti runsaasti omakohtaista kokemusta.

Em seu aguardado livro de estreia, Hank Green traz a história original e envolvente de uma jovem que se torna uma celebridade sem querer — mas logo se vê no centro de um mistério muito maior do que poderia imaginar. Enquanto volta para casa depois de trabalhar até de madrugada, a jovem April May esbarra numa escultura gigante. Impressionada com sua aparência — uma espécie de robô de três metros de altura —, April chama seu amigo Andy para gravar um vídeo sobre a aparição e postar no YouTube. No dia seguinte, a garota acorda e descobre que há esculturas idênticas em dezenas de cidades pelo mundo, sem que ninguém saiba como foram parar lá. Por ter sido o primeiro registro, o vídeo de April viraliza e ela se vê sob os holofotes da mídia mundial. Agora, April terá de lidar com os impactos da fama em seus relacionamentos, em sua segurança, e em sua própria identidade. Tudo isso enquanto tenta descobrir o que são essas esculturas — e o que querem de nós. Divertida e envolvente, essa história trata de temas muito relevantes nos dias atuais: como lidamos com o medo e o desconhecido e, principalmente, como as redes sociais estão mudando conceitos como fama, retórica e radicalização. “Engraçado, empolgante e uma delícia de ler. Eu sabia que Hank seria bom nisso, mas não sabia que já seria tão bom na primeira tentativa.” - John Scalzi, autor de Guerra do velho e ganhador do prêmio Hugo

Um misterioso robot aparece em Nova Iorque... ... e em São Paulo... ... e em Buenos Aires... O que se está a passar? São 3 horas da manhã e April May tropeça numa escultura GIGANTE; uma espécie de robot com três metros de altura e aspeto de samurai. Perante a descoberta, April faz a primeira coisa de que se lembra: filma a bizarra estátua. O vídeo é publicado no YouTube e, da noite para o dia, April torna-se famosa por ter sido a primeira no mundo a registar a existência da estátua — aquela que viria a ser parte de um conjunto de mais de 60, espalhadas por várias cidades do mundo. Pouco habituada ao estrelato e às consequências da fama viral, April torna-se internacionalmente famosa e fica associada aos robots. Um movimento emergente desperta. As pessoas querem saber: O que são estes robots e porque existem? Quem os terá criado? E mais importante ainda: serão perigosos? April começa a sua investigação e, reunindo um grupo improvável de pessoas, tenta perceber a origem destes robots e o seu sentido neste mundo. Hank Green explora de modo magistral a forma como lidamos com o medo e o desconhecido, e como as redes sociais transformaram aquilo que entendemos por fama. No seu fantástico romance de estreia, Hank Green revela-nos a história de uma jovem que se torna acidentalmente famosa — para logo se encontrar no epicentro de um mistério muito maior do que poderia imaginar.

Într-o noapte, întorcându-se de la muncă, April May, o tânără de 23 de ani, descoperă, din întâmplare, o reprezentare de trei metri a unui robot îmbrăcat în armură de samurai pe care îl botează Carl. Numai că statui similare se pare că există peste tot în lume și întreaga omenire devine, peste noapte, de-a dreptul obsedată să înțeleagă cine sunt, de unde au apărut, cine le-a creat și, mai ales, cărui scop slujesc bizarele monumente care seamănă prea mult cu puternicii Transformeri ca să nu facă parte dintr-un plan. Iar April, ca descoperitoare a straniilor Carli, se vede aruncată chiar în mijlocul unei furtuni mediatice, care îi transformă viața, relațille și felul de a fi. Un lucru absolut remarcabil este un roman captivant despre ce înseamnă să fii om în epoca internetului, YouTube-ului și a atotputernicelor rețele de socializare. „Amuzant, antrenant, exploziv! Eram convins că Hank va fi grozav ca scriitor, dar chiar nu mi-am imaginat că va fi atât de bun încă de la prima încercare.” JOHN SCALZI „Cu această carte comică despre partea urâtă a celebrității dobândite pe internet, Hank Green intră pe picior de egalitate în competiție cu faimosul roman al fratelui său, Sub aceeași stea, ridicându-se la același nivel de excelență.” PEOPLE „Hank Green, super-vlogger și frate al legendarului autor John Green, a scris Un lucru absolut remarcabil, un roman care vă va umple inimile de încurajare și alinare.” COSMOPOLITAN „În centrul romanului de debut al lui Hank Green stau întrebări existențiale despre celebritatea dobândită on-line.” WALL STREET JOURNAL