Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green
John Green weaves the story of Henry Reider into the tale of how tuberculosis has shaped and been shaped by history.
Green is a fine fiction writer, and the clear and factual way in which he makes his case in “Everything Is Tuberculosis” shows he has a deft hand with non-fiction too. Even when turning the emotional screws, he steers clear of sentimentality. It is an interesting read, though I learnt somewhat less than expected due to my pre-existing interest in tuberculosis.
Even presuming the numbers and facts laid before the reader are wildly exaggerated, I see no real argument against Green’s plea. In fact, I agree wholeheartedly with it. We should be doing all we can to cure tuberculosis.
I’ll even go a step further. I truly believe we should be doing all we can to cure disease and alleviate suffering where we can. Fuck cost-effectiveness. We are people, and Green is right about us being here to love and be loved. Our human existence should be enough. It is enough. ★★★★☆