Let's face it, folks: the world is a mess right now. To some extent the world is always a mess, but here in America it seems like it's raging. I don't love that. But at the same time, I don't know what to do about it. I was a poli-sci major, history minor, and I wish that gave me some insight into how change the world for the better, but in the past sixteen years of being on social media, I doubt I've changed any minds about anything.

So I'm trying something new.

I am stunned that I even have to talk about this, but it's 2025, and here we are.

I don't pretend to be an expert in Ukraine, but I am pretty well-educated about things adjacent to Ukraine. As I've mentioned elsewhere, my undergrad degree was in political science with an emphasis in international relations, and my minor was in history. I also was raised by a dad who, like all good Boomer dads, was obsessed with World War Two, and I inherited much of his passion. And, most important of all, I grew up during the Cold War.

For starters, I haven't read the book yet. Well, I guess for starters I should say what the book is.

Everything is Tuberculosis is a new non-fiction book by John Green (the John Green of The Fault in Our Stars and The Anthropocene Reviewed) that is about his new obsession: Tuberculosis.

I, like many of you, have been upset about the conditions of the world right now. Things aren't great. EVEN IF you're a fan of the current administration and think that some of the wild things they're doing are good, you will agree that the world is in a lot of turmoil. (I am NOT a fan of the current administration and I'm rather upset.)

Let me get this out of the way, because people don't seem to understand it: I may be a New York Times Bestselling novelist, but I ain't rich. We, like the majority of Americans, live paycheck to paycheck. (Being an author in real life is not like being an author in the movies--and being an author who hasn't published anything in six years doesn't really mean a lot of book money is rolling in.) Besides that, as I've mentioned here, I am SUPER mentally ill--and I have passed those genes down to my children.

All of which to say: life ain't easy.

I love some dystopia, and there is just so much good stuff in the Hollywood dystopian diaspora. I love the look, I love the music, I love the themes. Tear down society and I am here for it.

(If you want my definition of what dystopia is, you can read this article about my favorite dystopian books.)

As with everything, this is all subjective. But I’ll try to explain why these are my favorites and other contenders don’t quite make the list.