Henry Reider is a young man from Sierra Leone who recently and miraculously survived tuberculosis. Using the words "recently" and "miraculously" to describe his recovery from a disease that has had a preventive vaccine since 1921 and a cure since 1943 is reason enough to become obsessed with the question: why? "Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection" is not a book I would choose to read under normal circumstances. Outside of the medical community or those afflicted with it, who would? I am hopeful that, for starters, it will be read by the same people who put other John Green books on the bestseller lists. And then growing from that unusual initial gathering of readers, it reaches the souls of every individual who needs to read it. Green met Reider and his mother several years ago on a trip to the west African nation, and the families have become friends. Green's son, not to mention his famous brother, is also named Henry, which has led Reider to refer to both as the "namesakes," in their regular calls since his recovery. All of the components of that recovery serve as the primary human story and the vehicle for the latest great book in Green's library of greats. Reider's story is fascinating, especially when told by one of the great storytellers of our time. But the history and the evolution of responses to the infection is the real star here. From the now ridiculous sounding strategies and treatments of it, to the way cities and even states, like New Mexico, were developed in large part to combat the infection, are all expertly detailed. Even fashion trends would evolve and modify based on what can only today be seen as irrational theories on how infections function.   Connect with Michael Leppert Visit michaelleppert.com to read the full post and links to any resources or articles mentioned. Twitter @michaelleppert  Facebook at Michael Leppert Michael Leppert is an author, educator and a communication consultant in Indianapolis. He writes about government, politics and culture at MichaelLeppert.com. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Indiana Citizen or any other affiliated organization.  

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