Dear Hank & John Dear Hank & John

458: Ancient vs. Hyper-Mortal (w/ Paige Lewis!)

Jun 24, 2026 · 48m

Summary

John Green and poet Paige Lewis discuss Green’s reluctance to rewrite his early novels and the emotional difficulty of rereading past work. They advise a listener on overcoming writer’s block by embracing imperfection and establishing routine. The duo also reflects on the isolation of fame, the joys of aging like appreciating nature, and the physics of sending love to the sun.

Topics discussed

Introduction and Paige's new book Canon John's embarrassment over his early novels Paige on editing and Marianne Moore anecdotes Discussion on immortality and ideal lifespan Advice for overcoming writer's block The isolation of fame and dating writers Reflections on being 22 and teaching high school Becoming a tree person and childhood memories Sponsor reads for Quince and Shopify The speed of love and saying 'I love you' Responsibility to self vs others and Rilke AFC Wimbledon news and closing credits
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