Everything is Tuberculosis, a nonfiction book by John Green, fascinatingly depicts the harsh history and realities of tuberculosis through heartfelt, true stories and strange historical facts.
Green’s work explains the role played by the disease throughout history. The invention of the cowboy hat, New Mexico’s admittance to statehood, and even present-day beauty standards all relate in some way to tuberculosis.
Throughout the book, Green tells the story of Henry Reider, a young TB patient from Sierra Leone who was the inspiration for the book.
Green establishes TB’s position as the leading lethal infectious disease worldwide, only briefly losing its reign during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he also shows that TB is curable and preventable if the world would have the motivation to take that step.
The release of this book comes at a very important time for the fight against TB. With President Trump’s administration slashing foreign aid, many people around the world will lack access to TB tests and treatment. According to an article from CNN, “TB infections are also expected to increase by 28 to 32 percent globally this year as a result of the cuts.”
Despite its heavy topic, Everything is Tuberculosis is very personable and easy to read. It is hopeful and inspires motivation for people to aid in the fight against this terrible, infectious disease.
