Thought & Feelings on John Green’s “Everything is Tuberculosis”

 There is a hopefulness John tries to impart on the viewer along with a small call for us to be more aware.

I have not been this upset or angry while reading a book for a hot minute. Everything is Tuberculosis is a book that explains a bit about the history of the disease throughout time. The viewpoint the world has had on it throughout history, as medicine has changed. Yet somehow this deadly yet curable disease is still active and still killing people to this day. It’s a book that shows the culture, the medicine, the greed, and the social failures that got us to this point. Though it does still offer some hope. It showcases the people trying to help. The one’s who survived it continuing to be use their voice to help spread awareness about tuberculosis. The fears that can arise if we do not take this threat seriously. Maybe my anger stems how Tuberculosis reminds me of the failure we experience with COVID-19, a disease that we continue to deal with in our daily lives, one where we could have possible limited the threat if everyone took it seriously. In a day where we are almost instantly able to communicate with our fellow man, yet lack of care has us regulate COVID-19 to something we all have to just deal with as we carry-on with our daily lives.

Both diseases show the issue of ongoing maintenance that we fail to upkeep. Once a vaccine or a cure was found, we implemented them across as quick as we could. Though that we does not include all of humanity. Just the places that were lucky enough to have easy access to the vaccine, with insurance, nearby pharmacies that could administer the vaccine, with proper equipment to limit the spread. The same can’t be said with those with Tuberculosis.

God bless John trying to find hope here as he wrote the book. The hope isn’t on us as a collective, but it is about people. People that will try to fight for cheaper medication. For people that try to help find better cures and techniques for Tuberculosis. People that want to share their stories to plead and get others into helping. To be share his hope with those are trying their hardest to make a difference.

There is a certain tone to when I read John Green’s writing. A reminder of his podcast of The Anthropocene Reviewed. An informative educational tone that mixes his own voice that brings out the feeling in the book. The feelings he had when learning of Tuberculosis.  I have no idea how he comes off as hopeful. When I read. I get a mix emotions or anger and pessimism. If a book can bring out those feelings in me immediately, I view as a great book.

4 stars