John Green

Tuberculosis has shaped human history for thousands of years, but today it is often treated as a disease of the past or a tragic reality only for the global poor. John Green takes you on an urgent, deeply personal journey to understand the world's deadliest infectious disease. His perspective shifted dramatically after meeting Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient in Sierra Leone with a wide smile and spindly legs. Through Henry's deeply human story, Green unwinds the scientific facts, historical impact, and social inequalities that allow a preventable and curable illness to claim over a million lives every single year. You will discover how global healthcare systems succeed and fail, and why the choices we make today are critical to stopping this ancient killer. This powerful narrative bridges science and empathy, challenging you to look closely at the inequities that define our modern world.

Colin Singleton is a washed-up former child prodigy who only dates girls named Katherine. He has dated nineteen of them, to be exact, and every single one has dumped him. Heartbroken and desperate to make sense of his repeated failures, Colin hits the road with his fiercely loyal, Judge Judy-obsessed best friend, Hassan. With ten thousand dollars in his pocket and a feral hog occasionally on his trail, Colin seeks a mathematical solution to his romantic misery. He works tirelessly to invent The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, a formula he hopes will forecast the exact trajectory of any relationship and finally avenge dumped partners everywhere. Their road trip leads them to a quirky rural town hiding strange secrets, a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke, and a girl who might just challenge everything Colin thought he knew about love. It is a hilarious, sharply written journey about breaking patterns and discovering who you really are.

Hazel Grace Lancaster has lived her entire teenage life with a terminal diagnosis. Thanks to a medical miracle, her tumors have shrunk enough to buy her a few more years, but she knows exactly how her story is going to end. She spends her days tethered to an oxygen tank, reading the same book repeatedly, and reluctantly attending a grim support group for kids with cancer. Everything changes the day Augustus Waters walks into the circle. He is gorgeous, confident, and intensely interested in her. Augustus refuses to treat Hazel like she is fragile, drawing her out of her shell and into a whirlwind romance that makes her feel entirely alive. Together, they navigate the sharp edges of their illnesses while embarking on a desperate quest to meet Hazel's favorite reclusive author. It is a bold, heartbreaking, and fiercely funny look at the tragic business of being alive and in love.

Quentin Jacobsen has always loved the magnificent, unpredictable Margo Roth Spiegelman from a safe distance. His quiet senior year shatters when Margo suddenly appears at his bedroom window dressed like a ninja, pulling him into a massive, meticulously planned campaign of midnight revenge against her enemies. Quentin goes along for the wild ride, hoping this is the start of a new chapter for them both. But the next morning, Margo is gone. Left behind is a strange trail of disconnected clues seemingly meant just for him. As Quentin follows her breadcrumbs across the country with his best friends in tow, the brilliant, flawless image of the girl he worshipped begins to crack. He must figure out if he is chasing the real Margo, or just a paper girl he invented in his head. This journey forces you to question how well you can ever truly know another person.

We are living in the Anthropocene, the current geologic age where humans have completely reshaped the planet and its biodiversity. Adapted from his wildly popular podcast, John Green turns his brilliant observational eye toward the everyday phenomena of our human-centered world, rating them on a five-star scale. From the strange layout of the QWERTY keyboard and the stubborn existence of Canada geese to the beauty of sunsets and the bizarre charm of the Penguins of Madagascar, these essays explore the massive contradictions of modern life. You will see how humanity is simultaneously far too powerful and entirely vulnerable. Through sharp humor and rich historical detail, Green captures the shared anxieties and unexpected wonders of living right now. It is a deeply personal, open-hearted examination of the paths we forge and an unironic celebration of falling in love with a deeply flawed world.

Aza Holmes never planned on playing detective. But when a hundred-thousand-dollar reward is offered for information about a fugitive billionaire, her fearless best friend Daisy drags her into the investigation. The billionaire in question just happens to be the father of Davis Pickett, a boy Aza knew from a childhood camp. Reconnecting with Davis brings new feelings and new complications into her already turbulent life. As you follow Aza through her daily routine, you experience the intense, ever-tightening spiral of her intrusive thoughts. She is desperately trying to be a good daughter, a loyal friend, and a dedicated student, all while navigating a mind that constantly feels out of her control. The search for the missing billionaire forces her to confront her own limitations and the terrifying reality of her mental health. This story offers a deeply authentic and moving look at what it truly means to live with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It explores the enduring power of lifelong friendship and the messy, beautiful reality of growing up when your brain feels like your own worst enemy. You will find yourself rooting for Aza as she searches for resilience and understanding in a chaotic world.

Miles Halter is exhausted by his perfectly safe, completely boring life at home. Obsessed with the famous last words of historical figures, he leaves for Culver Creek Boarding School in search of what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the Great Perhaps. The moment he arrives, his predictable world is flipped upside down by his new friends, especially the clever, funny, and deeply self-destructive Alaska Young. She pulls Miles into her chaotic labyrinth of late-night pranks, secret smoking rings, and intense emotional highs. He quickly falls for her, captivated by her unpredictable energy and hidden sorrow. But when sudden tragedy strikes the campus, Miles is left grappling with unanswerable questions about grief, guilt, and the profound impact one person can have on your soul. The relationships he builds at Culver Creek will challenge his perspectives and push him to break out of his comfort zone forever. This raw, unflinching story explores the messy transition into adulthood and the painful beauty of first love and loss.

One freezing night, in a highly unexpected corner of a Chicago adult video store, a teenager named Will Grayson crosses paths with another teenager named Will Grayson. Aside from sharing the exact same name, the two boys are completely different, running in wildly separate circles and dealing with entirely different sets of personal struggles. One Will is aggressively trying to live without caring about anything, while the other is battling deep depression and an incredibly complicated secret online relationship. When their isolated worlds violently collide, both Will Graysons find their lives forcefully redirected in new and completely surprising ways. Together, they are pushed toward major romantic turning points, deeply necessary self-discoveries, and the epic production of history’s most fabulous, over-the-top high school musical. Told in alternating chapters by two completely distinct narrative voices, this hilarious and poignant collaboration is brimming with profound insight. It masterfully explores the messy reality of identity, the terrifying vulnerability of opening up to others, and the absolute importance of standing up for your friends.

A massive, unexpected blizzard on Christmas Eve buries the small town of Gracetown under feet of snow, shutting down everything in its path. When one brave teenager decides to abandon her stranded train and venture out into the freezing storm, she triggers a domino effect that will drastically change the lives of several high schoolers over the next three days. You will follow a desperate race through the snowdrifts to secure the last hash browns at the local Waffle House, watch as a risky shortcut leads to an unexpected connection with a charming stranger, and see the fate of a miniature teacup pig rest in the hands of a heartbroken barista. Told in three intertwining stories, this collection captures the unpredictable chaos, hilarious disasters, and magical romance of the holiday season. It is a warm, funny exploration of friendship and new love blooming in the coldest weather.