Looking for Alaska
Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words–and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps.” Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.
Green was awarded the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award for Looking for Alaska. It is taught in many high school and college curricula and has been published in more than fifteen languages.
If you’ve read the book and are completely prepared for spoilers, visit the Looking for Alaska Questions page for much, much more information on the book.
Awards
Winner, 2006 Michael L. Printz Award
Finalist, 2005 Los Angeles Times Book Prize
2006 Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults
2006 Teens’ Top 10 Award
2006 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A Booklist Editor’s Choice Pick
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection
Borders Original Voices Selection
Reviews (SPOILER ALERT!)
“Green…has a writer’s voice, so self-assured and honest that one is startled to learn that this novel is his first. The anticipated favorable comparisons to Holden Caufield are richly deserved in this highly recommended addition to young adult literature.”
-VOYA
“Like Phineas in John Knowles’ “A Separate Peace,” Green draws Alaska so lovingly, in self-loathing darkness as well as energetic light, that readers mourn her loss along with her friends.”
-School Library Journal, Starred Review
“The spirit of Holden Caulfield lives on.”
-KLIATT
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“Looking for Alaska” is a fictional young adult novel, written by John Green, dealing with the young Miles Halter, who decides to go to a boarding school in Alabama, to escape his boring life at home in Florida.
Soon he makes friends with his roommate Chip, often called the Colonel, and falls for the beautiful and mysterious girl Alaska Young. Miles gets pulled into the world of Culver Creek, including friendship, first love and breaking the rules, but also responsibility, the loss of a friend and grief.
We read this book in English class, so I might say that it was not too difficult to understand but it was a little tough to get through it.
At first I was skeptical, but after a while I started to put myself into the story and was excited to read on! Working with the book I began to dislike the characters more and more, because Alaska is that moody, what started to annoy me, and Miles just thinks that he deserves her love, but “Looking for Alaska” is a great book anyway. You must not like the characters a lot.
All in all the novel walks a path between the wild live of some teenagers and serious incidents. It is very well-written, I like how John Green quotes books’ and persons’ last words in his book, also you can see Miles’ development from an outsider to a member of the bunch and the loss of Alaska is really touching.
After reading the book you do not stop thinking about it. You want to know what happened to Alaska exactly and I wandered if she was right, that death is the way out of the labyrinth. If dying is the answer, why do we not all commit suicide? Well, I am not sure what my point about the labyrinth of suffering is, but, as I said, I thought about it a lot.
In the end, I do not know if I would have picked the book myself, but we read it in school and I am happy I read it now. It has everything a good story needs, it is funny, exciting, sad, thoughtful and it has a love story in it. “Looking for Alaska” is a great choice to reed in class.
By the way I just ordered “The fault in our stars” because I liked John Greens writing style and the story he made up in “Looking for Alaska” that much.
Sorry spoiler – please don’t read my question if you haven’t read it yet. I’ll write it in pig English.
I was heecting expr hakes to brave cuen bet by prain in a Kevnk.
Bloody labyrinth!
So, this book has touched me so much that I just have to leave a comment.
The second I saw the photograph of one page from Looking for Alaska (totally by accident, like, the best accident ever! *the page was the one with drizzle and the hurricane quote) I knew it was going to be magnificent, but holly crap, it is more than that.
It has gotten under my skin and I don’t want it to leave, ever.
Like every great book should, it has changed me in many ways, I would say it made me more complete.
Thanks to you, you John Freaking Genius Green, I started caring so much about the Great Perhaps, realized I was standing at the start of my labyrinth and that it takes so much courage to move forward, get lost in the suffering and even more courage to try to get out of it.
You’ve also made me aware of importance that Last Words carry with them.
Even though we’ll never know what were Alaska’s last words, I like to pretend it was this one sentence that has really reached me.
I find itso fascinating because I think it reflects death perfectly:
it will be continued. Somewhere else. In some other time. Very different from the one we’re living in. So much greater in many ways,
I hope so.
And that same sentence kind of comforted me. I was broken because of Alaska Young. Because of Pudge. The Colonel. Broken because of the brutality of life and mystery of death.
”To be continued?” is a question that gave me so much answers.
And, yeah, there is one more thing. Since you, JohnFreakingGeniusGreen, are the closest to Pudge, there is one thing I want you to tell him.
By confronting to his labyrinth (realizing that he is in one and doesn’t want to go out of it, but keep moving in it, no matter how hard it is, not choosing ‘Straight and Fast’ but Tortuous and Slow)
he has officially stopped being a drizzle.
He is a hurricane
“Looking For Alaska” is literally the best book I’ve ever read. It is suggested if you are more into the drama type of book. It’s an unexpected book. It’s breath-taking and heart-racing. That’s what makes it interesting. I guarantee that you’ll love it.
YES, I did.
THIS BOOK IS A COOL BOOK. its more like a drama book for people that like that kind of stuff. & i just want to thank you for making this book.
For a while after the big event, I was pretty annoyed with John. HOW COULD HE KILL ALASKA???? In fact, when I read the terrible news, even though it had already been spoiled (gha… Internet), I just put the book down for about a half an hour and fumed. I was hoping she wouldn’t be dead… but then they did their prank and everything was okay.
I’m dyslexic but that did not stop me from reading “Looking for Alaska” or “The fault in our stars” just started on Will Grayson, Will Grayson Fuck the (dyslexic) police i’m gonne keep reading !
I finished LFA in two days (I could have finished it in one, but you know sleep is kind of important). I just couldn’t put it down. TFIOS took me a little longer to finish, but that was because I never wanted the story to end, so I prolonged the inevitable. I don’t know what came over me, but I needed to not stop reading LFA. I loved it, I loved it. Like TFIOS, I couldn’t have been given a better ending to an incredible journey. Your novels leave me whole, not broken. Thank you for that J. Green, thank you very much.
Best Wishes,
Sara Michelle
Ps. You ought to be a rapper.
well written, just well! thanks john green
My problem is that every time I start reading a book is my Best Day but then when I end it becomes my Worst Day, this crazy never ending cycle just makes me a little bit crazier and a little bit loser to maybe write something as wonderful as the books (including yours) I’ve ever read, so thanks for the Best Day and well no thanks for the Worst Day
John Green writes books with that certain depth that is not too deep yet so touching. How his characters talk amaze me, like they would use words that is either technical, scientific, military, etc. that’s so teenagery. The words in his novel also makes it kind of invulnerable, compared to other authors of YA. And sh*t, the storyline. He’s like doing that beginning-is-the-theme thing, when he starts the chapter about THE GREAT PERHAPS and LAST WORDS and the book is about Alaska who died and should’ve had a LAST WORD in earshot. His plot is eccentric to be loved, and the themes and ideas and his genius nerd-like talks are also helpful.
If ever I became an author, I’d say he’s an influence.
Great job, John!
WAZ ALASKA’S DEATH AN ACCIDENT? TELL ME.
How can I order this book and where?
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is one of my favourites. But, I kind of feel like Hazel Grace right now because I don’t know what Alaska did, or didn’t do. Is it just me? Maybe I just have a problem with closure.
This book made my life both better and worse, yet it will always remain my favorite. It made me begin to sob in the middle of my english class. John Green you have an AMAZING talent, and I thank you so much for creating this wonderful work of art.
This is honestly my favorite book at the moment. I just ordered three other one of your books and I can’t wait until they come! I just have to say I love this book so much, how you can relate to Alaska, she was such a mysterious character. This book isn’t an average book, it really got you to think and think hard, SPOILER SPOILER SPOILERRRRR, like how did Alaska die, what was she doing? and even in the end, you still couldn’t exactly tell.
Hello, just wanted to mention, I enjoyed this post. It was inspiring. Keep on posting!
this book is probably my favourite book of all time. i dont know why, but it means so much to me, i cant exactly seem to pin point its signifigance and importance. but i take it everywhere with me, i annotate it, stick letters from my best friend in it and photos. its just magnificent.
I’ve never been one to sit down and read a book…unless of course I had to do it for a homework assignment. However, the moment I picked up Looking for Alaska and read a few pages..I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down. Not only was this book a joy to read, but it truly changed my life. It sounds rather cliche, but it’s the truth. I’ll the discoveries about the labyrinth we all face in life, really shed some light on my light. And for that Looking for Alaska is now not only my favorite book, but my guide through life.
Hi there, just wanted to mention, I loved this post. It was funny. Keep on posting!
Hi there, just wanted to mention, I liked this article. It was practical. Keep on posting!
Dear John,
First id like to say a massive thank you, for creating such a beautiful book; Looking for Alaska. It truly caught my heart. It is such an amazing and beautiful coming-of-age story. It is the sort of book that you could actually feel each and every characters’ pain that they are suffering, trying to escape this labyrinth . I started reading this book when i was twelve, i am now fourteen. I have read the book 87 times, i hope that explains my love for this book. It helps teens and young adults to feel like there ARE other people just like them, suffering in this world. When i first finished the book, i was crying, not the loud sobbing type, i just had tears running down my cheeks, for the first time in my life, i was sad i finished a book. It made me look up and get a real, better understanding on life; we are all suffering in this labyrinth, and we will all be gone. Thank you so much for en lighting my view on life, and congratulations on your success. Much love, Sam xxx
Ah, where do I begin? This is the second book of yours I’ve read..the first was TFIOS. Looking for Alaska, is an amazing book. I can’t even put my thoughts into words. I love this book so much and I actually can’t stop reading it. Thank you so much for creating this hole where I can just crawl in and escape reality. It’s truly amazing.
“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations”
:)
This was absolutely brilliant, very emotive and moving but perfect.
Thank you John for this book.
Dear John,
You’ve probably heard this a gazillion time already,
but this book is the most magnificent i’ve ever read.
Helped me connect some of the dots as i was on a quest looking for my own Great Perhaps and felt a relief from the labyrinth i was in.
Thank you for this book.
I have just finished Looking for Alaska for the millionth time, and everytime its gets to me. It hits me pretty hard each time (spoiler alert) Alaska dies and I can never figure out the correct way out of the labrynth or even what the freaking thing is. I love the book and I often find myself stuck on it and unable to read anything else (very similar to Hazel). Each time it brings old questions to mind and it unearths new ones. John Green’s quotes get stuck in my head and his use of language is mind-blowing.
I guess I just want to say thanks for the book, it’s amazing.
Dear readers be sure to finish the book before reading this.
Alaska to me was a character I loved to hate and hated to love. She was this person that I could and couldn’t relate to. I understood her a minute, and then lost her the next.
I believe she thought her way out of the labyrinth was to end it. Though she seemed to might have miscalculated the fact that she threw people inside that very labrynth and added obstacles (like a vicious minotaur) in front of their paths.
She was selfish but she was in pain.
I loved the book for not only its story, but also its words.
Here you go again John, you make me fall in love with your characters and then you break my heart.
Though I will take my hat off for you, and I will applaud. You are one of the few writers I have loved, and will forever love.
You may not read this, but I hope you do.
-Sara.
I couldn’t decide whether I liked you, or I didn’t like you after Alaska died, but I ought to give you some credit on the ending. You did well John. You did well.
Hello Mr. Green,
Anyway, for our English class, we were asked to pick out someone who inspires us and write about them and why we find them inspiring. Obviously, since i am writing this in your website, I chose you as my inspiration and I feel like sharing why I find you inspiring here. In short, i’m going to let you see my homework.. lol.
“The person I find very inspiring is John Green. Not only is he my favorite author, but I also consider him as the voice of our generation. Writers like him give me hope. Hope that there are still honest writers out there. Hope that there are still people who see the truth for what it is. I reckon that these are the kinds of writers our world needs today. We need someone who believes we live in a broken world but refuses to believe it is irreparably broken. Our generation needs someone to believe that we teenagers are capable of making a chance, that we are not merely “children” but we are children meant for greatness. I consider him courageous because there are almost no writers out there who are bold enough to say that teenagers are as indestructible as they believe themselves to be, that teens will be teens and there isn’t anything the world can do to deprive us from living. In summary, John Green is an honest writer who has faith in the youth of this broken world and that’s what makes him an inspiration.”
All the best, your 15-year old reader all the way from Southeast Asia, Vj.
I read this book in six hours. I loved it. Honestly i gave up on reading before only because I convinced myself there was no time for it,or saying it was useless. Thanks for writing this and changing my persective upon not only literature but meaning of life, death, religion ectetera. Im upto reading your third book, Will Grayson :D
P.s i really enjoyed the fact that you actually type ecetera instead of just etc. I’m not sure why i found that so interesting.
~~Your biggest fan, Yadelli :) (I know, my name is a bit weird)
I read this book in one day. Everything that happend made me either laugh or cry or make my heart race or stop. SPOILER ALERT MAJOR… when Alaska died, it felt like a part of me had too. I re read that page so many times before it sunk in. I know this might not ever be able to become a movie, but I pray that it does because it would be so incredibly good.
Your #1 Fan
Absolutely brilliant! I will never be disappointed by a John Green book, brilliant stories by an equally if not more amazing author. xx
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