Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Diving into Jennifer Pierce's research on Nerdfighteria, I didn't know anything about the topic. Rather, I was drawn to the book based on the other terms of its title - narratives and new media. So, I am far from being the best person to say whether this work is innovative or "correct" even (whatever that might mean.)

What I can tell you, though, is that Pierce's book is incredibly informative and interesting. It's technical and academic, sure, but not to a degree that makes the uninitiated in the topic run away in horror. Rather, it strikes a great balance between introducing its topic and delving deep into it.

I'm not sure if I'll ever get into the community or check the VlogBrothers's videos, but I'm very glad I was able to learn about them.

I think the audience for this book is probably quite small, but I managed to fit into it perfectly. As a teen, I was a passionate follower of the Green Brothers and their various YouTube and writing-based efforts. Reading this book was a refreshing reminder of things that brought me a lot of joy growing up, as well as an opportunity to see the ways in which the group has shifted since I stopped following along. But, this book is not exactly approachable in its language or form. This reads very much as a graduate thesis rather than a popular-styled research piece. The language is dense and it relies heavily on theory and research methods that average readers may be unfamiliar with. It took be quite a while the power through reading, not because I didn’t like it (I really enjoyed it), but because the language is heavy and scientific, and unfamiliar to someone not studying multimedia theory. I will say that after reading this book, I was finally compelled to read John Green’s Turtles All The Way Down and re-read The Fault In Our Stars.

Admittedly, the audience for this book is probably very small. You're either a Neerdfighter or interested in media studies. I happen to be both, which is why this book intrigued me so much! Narratives, Nerdfighters, and New Media is essentially an extended essay/thesis that examines the community of Nerdfighteria through its connections to reading and books and the use of media. Jennifer Burek Pierce attempts to understand what makes Nerdfighteria special and how it has shaped our understanding of what it means to be a reader.

I love academic discussions of media I am interested in so in theory, this was right up my street. The strength of the writing lies in the passion, it's evident the author is herself a fan and is enjoying a deeper, academic exploration of the community. However, this is still an academic thesis and thus not the easiest thing to read, at least for me personally. I enjoyed seeing the convergence of media studies theories and the subject of Nerdfighteria, this book definitely made me reconsider my own perception of my place as a reader and how I interact with authors through different forms of media. But the academic style made it hard to read at times, which is why reading this book took me quite a while!

So I can imagine that this is only relevant for readers who are either Nerdfighters or academics themselves and are willing to take the time to work through this book, but the effort is worth it.

This is an awesome thesis and book for any Nerdfighter. I loved the analysis and it gave me a new perspective on a fandom and community I hold so dear.

If you grew up watching the VlogBrothers, you will enjoy this! This book explores the impact of the the little nerdy literary community that the Green brothers have curated through their online platform. While the main focus is on the Nerdfighter community, there is discussion about the shift in reading and how it has altered during the digital age. I wasn't expecting this book to read like a formal essay, so be aware of that when picking up this book!

Interesting, well-written read for those who are fans of all things Nerdfighteria. I loved getting a few glimpses into John's world.

This is definitely a very niche book. That being said, if you have an interest in the convergence of the internet, radio, and books (or if you're a Nerdfighter), you'll enjoy this read. It took me a while to get into the writing style - a bit circuitous at times - but I really enjoyed how the book explored the influence of Nerdfighteria as well as what can be inferred about readers.

https://erikabalban7.wixsite.com/bottles-of-books/post/narratives-nerdfighters-new-media-book-review-pre-publication

Narratives, Nerdfighters & New Media is Jennifer Burek Pierce’s thesis submitted to the University of Iowa Press. This book, or extended essay if you prefer, is an in-depth, heavily researched study of how writers, creators and readers can shape their own community experience; how this has been accomplished by the Nerdfighter community, and how technology has changed and altered the way reading is shaped today. The book is set out in five chapters, with the first being an introduction to John and Hank Green, and the remaining chapters studying aspects of their ever-growing channel and communities; how this community varies to others; the impact of the writing and publishing of The Fault in Our Stars on said community and a conclusion on what this means to modern reading and its surrounding community.
Going into this, I had no idea what I was expecting. As someone who knew who Hank and John Green were fairly well (I’d watched a few of their videos, I’m a big fan of their Crash Course Channel and have read three of John Green’s books) I thought I would be aware of most of what was to be discussed. However, Burek Pierce’s case study is more than just a study of the community, as she draws upon various well-known scholars like Andrew Piper, John Berger, and Robert Darnton’s and their theories regarding reading, contemporary reading, communities, and fandoms. Questions that readers would have thought about, have been carefully analysed and researched into by Burek Pierce. Not only has she researched scholarly reading, but she is able to draw conclusions surrounding modern reading from theories created 30/40 years ago while still maintaining relevance. It was an interesting read and I was constantly jotting down notes throughout because it is a piece that evokes wider thinking and reading if you’re interested in the topic of how reading affects peoples, communities, mindset and goals. It is especially fascinating when she constantly reminds the reader of the New Media aspect, as well as her repetition of the concept of place when discussing online platforms.
The only criticism I have regarding this book is the lack of clarity in its advertisement of it being more of a study, thesis, or extended essay as opposed to a traditional novel. This is not to say I was disappointed by realising it was a thesis, but more that it was something of a surprise when I came across footnotes, an appendix at the end and constant academic analysis throughout. It was not until a few pages in and a bit of research that I discovered it to be a thesis by someone pursuing a writing career. Luckily, I loved every second of this book, but if you’re not someone who tends to read scholarly work, it might come as a shock considering it isn’t advertised as such.
The strengths, on the other hand, are measurable. This researched based, passion-driven, diligently crafted book from Burek Pierce is quite the game-changer for her writing career. Her place in the community is the driving force of this book. Her passion is what drives the book forward, but her analysis team, and even the support of those in the Nerdfighteria community, support her, encourage her, and help her throughout the entire study. The efforts of all this, from writing to gathering sources and analysing them; drawing up statistical data and tracking down hidden information not usually revealed is shown in its professionalism. This book, ultimately, offers the perfect combination of education and stimulation for further research.
Additionally, the tone of the book sometimes makes you feel you’re reading a novel because of the emotional connection to the community and the human aspect to it. Time and time again, Burek reminds us that the statistics she was studying as well as the comments she read were written by humans with a place in this world – they are not just a number on a screen. This, as well as the quotes and anecdotes of these people make it feel like a dialogue and less like a research paper that requires constant note-taking and analysis – the books emotions are real and so are those so heavily, or not so heavily, involved in the Nerdfighteria community.
Finally, for strengths, the author is keen to address the limitations of the subjects as well as their strengths. At the beginning I was concerned that the book might overdo its positives and ignore any negatives that the community, or certain people in that community may experience – but she did not disappoint. Throughout the book, Burek is constantly addressing the diversity of the community, especially when it comes to discussions on public social media platforms as well as statistics in their annual survey and sale statistics of Hank and John’s books. From the representation of woman in the production of their Youtube channels like Crash Course and their production company Complexly, to the women they have worked with and the issues the Green brothers address in their videos, it is clear that female empowerment and gender equality are a very high priority for both brothers and the audience. To add to this, there is the discussion of how diverse the community is, taking into consideration facts such as that white, female and young people are more likely to answer a long survey, as well as how certain people and groups may feel in the community. One example is the story of a transgender Nerdfighter who claimed that he did not always feel included in the community, despite the community’s core theme being to ‘reduce world suck’, meaning to increase kindness and decrease hate. This awareness from the author is indeed refreshing, especially her closer analysis in reference to disability in the community, discussions surrounding disability and the emphasis that is placed on ensuring acknowledgement, appreciation and elevating of the disabled community within Nerdfighteria. This aspect is a strength for two reasons, it not only indicates that Burek has a wider concept of diversity, exclusion and discrimination and is keen to discuss this in her book but it also indicates the depth of the research that has gone into this book, going so far as to draw upon specific stories from people in the community that may have been hidden/suppressed.
Overall, the book was exactly what I needed in such turbulent times– an educational book that reinforced unity and discusses the kindness of a community alongside any improvements it can make. The concepts and ideas that this book have sparked in me is definitely not what I expected - and it has reignited a passion in me to pursue more scholarly work (that doesn’t surround history, which is my go-to topic). If you’re interested in anything from anecdotes from readers to how contemporary reading is being affected by modern technology and a sense of community, or even if you have any interest in the Hank brothers, then I’d say this book is for you. It is currently ready to pre-order here on Amazon with its publication date being 15th November 2020.

Jennifer Burek Pierce offers insight into a very timely and engaging literary practice. I appreciated the level of detail and attention given in this text, and continue to explore the implications of this notion of digital interactions with authors as an additional layer of reading and writing engagement. This is a text I know I will be citing as I reflect on digital instruction.

Many thanks to the publisher for an advance review copy, from which I offer this unbiased review.