Perhaps in many circles, John Green is best known for penning novels like The Fault In Our Stars and Looking for Alaska. The author, who has been publishing books for 20 years, has touched on a variety of topics thus far through his fiction -- from cancer to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and more. His latest book, however, is not like the others. And yet, somehow, it resembles his previous works in deep and personal ways.
Everything is Tuberculosis is, realistically, not everything you could ever want to know about the global history of the illness -- no book can be fully comprehensive of a single subject, at least not for long. But it accomplishes something much more important. It takes a topic many would quickly dismiss and crafts such a personal and touching narrative around its facts that you almost forget it's all real. (But Green won't let you forget -- rightfully so.)
While the book takes readers through the long history of the impact of tuberculosis and its treatment around the world, it does so largely through the lens of a boy -- now a young man -- named Henry. Green met and quickly formed a close bond with Henry years ago, who lives with TB. The two still keep in touch, and it's through this friendship that Green not only learned more about TB's effect on the world, but also began to understand how it still remains a systemic issue in 2025 -- and what might be done about that.
When most of us think of tuberculosis, we immediately think of stories set hundreds of years ago, filled with characters succumbing to a frightening and seemingly incurable disease. It's through Henry's story of struggle and survival that Green clearly and urgently shows us that this is not an issue of centuries past. It is still our living generations' problem. Not because TB isn't treatable -- it is very much so -- but because such treatment has not been made widely available around the world. Not even now.
And Henry is proof of that. He almost didn't get the treatment he needed, almost didn't survive, because of the limited resources available at the hospital he needed to live in due to his chronic illness. Henry is lucky that he lives to spread awareness of the circumstances. And in this, Green asks us to consider: Why should Henry be the exception when this is a treatable situation?
It's showing tuberculosis through Henry's eyes, it's the prose and the passion behind every word, that makes Green's book not just good, but even more so, impactful. Green is a quality example of many things -- one of them being that it is possible for one to use their influence and reach (and skills) to discuss issues so many of us have been ignoring.
Another is that an author with such privilege can, and should, write poetically about the real-world issues they care about most. Perhaps more people would listen -- and act -- if it were their favorite writers spelling out best-selling truths for anyone to read.