'The Interview': John Green Knows That No One Really Loves You on the Internet

This book is a work of fiction by Gaye Shortland, published in 1997. It continues the tales of characters based in Cork city, although specific details about the plot are limited in available sources.

The Catcher in the Rye follows Holden Caulfield, a teenager who has been expelled from Pencey Prep, as he spends three days wandering around New York City. The novel explores Holden's disillusionment with the world around him, his feelings of loneliness and disconnection, and his struggle to find genuine relationships. Despite his cynicism and criticism of others as 'phonies,' Holden reveals a deep emotional sensitivity, particularly in his interactions with his younger sister Phoebe. The book delves into themes of adolescent angst, the loss of innocence, and the search for meaning and purpose in a seemingly superficial world.

In 'The Anthropocene Reviewed', John Green adapts and expands his critically acclaimed podcast into a symphony of essays. He reviews a wide range of subjects, from the QWERTY keyboard and sunsets to Canada geese and 'Penguins of Madagascar', using a five-star rating system. The book is a personal and introspective exploration of human existence, touching on themes of culture, science, and personal experiences. Green's essays are praised for their wit, empathy, and ability to make the universal personal, offering a reflection on the human condition during times of global change and uncertainty.

The novel follows Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16-year-old girl with thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs, and Augustus Waters, a 17-year-old boy who lost his leg to osteosarcoma. They meet at a cancer support group and develop a deep bond over their shared experiences and favorite books. The story explores themes of mortality, the meaning of life, and the intensity of their love as they face the harsh realities of their illnesses. The narrative is marked by its direct and introspective tone, as Hazel navigates her feelings and the existential questions that come with facing death.

In 'The Anxious Generation', Jonathan Haidt examines the sudden decline in the mental health of adolescents starting in the early 2010s. He attributes this decline to the shift from a 'play-based childhood' to a 'phone-based childhood', highlighting mechanisms such as sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, and perfectionism that interfere with children’s social and neurological development. Haidt proposes four simple rules to address this issue: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more opportunities for independence, free play, and responsibility. The book offers a clear call to action for parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments to restore a more humane childhood and end the epidemic of mental illness among youth.