Wild Card with Rachel Martin John Green (Encore)
10 snips
Jan 1, 2026 
John Green, bestselling author and YouTube creator, shares insights on his journey from writing impactful youth novels to exploring deeper themes in his nonfiction work, Everything Is Tuberculosis. He discusses his childhood's cosmic anxieties and how they shape his view of life. John reveals how his struggle with OCD influences his daily experience, emphasizing hope and the importance of compassion as he navigates despair. He also reflects on faith beyond belief, storytelling's magic, and the silent beauty found in life's fleeting moments.
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Henry's Story Sparked A Book
- John Green discovered TB after visiting a tuberculosis hospital in Sierra Leone and meeting a patient named Henry.
- Henry's near-death and eventual recovery inspired Green to write Everything Is Tuberculosis.
TB Is A Failure Of Priorities
- Green argues tuberculosis is now caused by human choices and inequitable systems, not merely bacteria.
- He notes eradication would cost about $25 billion a year, a moral choice rather than a technical impossibility.
Creativity Maps Inner Rooms
- John Green spends far more time in his head, describing it as intense and sometimes overwhelming.
- He uses creative work to explore and map internal rooms he otherwise can't reach.