Author John Green claims world record as he returns with new book Hollywood, Ending
Acclaimed author John Green (USA) – known from fiction bestsellers Paper Towns (2008) and The Fault in Our Stars (2012), as well as his popular educational social media channels – has returned with his newest book Hollywood, Ending, out on 22 September.
And at the same time, he’s finally achieved a Guinness World Records title that’s been years in the making… for the most tip-in sheets signed by an author in their lifetime.
Tip-in sheets are the separately marked pages inserted into the front of a novel after printing – and throughout John’s career as an author, he has signed 875,557 of these individual pages.
Accumulated by selling more than 50 million copies of his books worldwide – many of them marked in this way – the author has famously stated that he was due a world record. So on Tuesday, Guinness World Records Adjudicator Ryan Masserano took to the stage at his book launch in Brooklyn, New York, USA to finally present him with this well-deserved award!
“This is a special accomplishment that I am proud to have achieved,” said John, excitedly holding his certificate. “Tonight, I get to go to sleep as a Guinness World Records title holder!”
John first started publishing books in 2005 with his debut novel Looking for Alaska.
His rise in fame came at roughly the same time as an increased popularity in the Young Adult fiction market, and he released five more bestselling novels within the genre before writing arguably his most famous work, The Fault in Our Stars, in 2012. The book has since sold over 23 million copies worldwide, and was turned into a movie in 2014.
Concurrently, some of his fans may know John through his popular YouTube channels @VlogBrothers and @CrashCourse, which he has run with his brother Hank Green since 2007 and 2012, respectively. Their entertaining, yet educational, videos have resulted in over 20 million subscribers in the app, and have become a mainstay in high school classes across America in the last decade.
And relatedly, John’s educational content perhaps informed his approach to his two most recent nonfiction releases – The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet (2021) and Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection (2025).
Read more stories about record-breaking authors in our dedicated Arts and Entertainment section!
Nevertheless, his newest novel – Hollywood, Ending (2026) – is a return to his fiction roots, and caused quite a buzz ahead of its release, resulting in the giant crowd in Brooklyn during its launch party this week.
Under the stage lights at King’s Theatre, the audience was entertained by a lively discussion between John and his childhood friend about the new book, before the floor was opened up to a Q&A with the crowd.
John then gave a stirring reading from Hollywood, Ending, giving potential readers a taste of what they could expect from the pages within its ombre cover.
Finally, near the end of the event, Adjudicator Ryan joined the author onstage to present him with his GWR certificate, much to the excitement of John and his audience!
“This record achievement demonstrates John's incredible dedication to his readers and the lasting connection he's built with them,” said Ryan, after the attempt.
“The joy John and the audience showed while I was presenting him with his certificate is something I will never forget, and is a great reminder of the positive impact GWR can bring.”
So congratulations to the literary legend – after signing his name more than any author in history, it’s safe to say that this title was a long time coming.
John, you are now Officially Amazing!