John Green -- a Man for Our Times

Who doesn't love the author John Green? And really, what's not to love. 

From an incredible string of YA books, that aren't really so YA that they aren't beloved as much or more by adults - especially English teachers -, to a fascinating online digital profile that began as a back-and-forth intellectual bantering called Vlog Brothers (or NerdFighters) with his equally cool brother and author Hank Green and their incredibly informative series Crash Course, to his fascinating narrative nonfiction that's been topping the best sellers lists with the column-esque The Anthropocene Reviewed and the new study and commentary Everything Is Tuberculosis, to his very public and frank discussions of his crushing battle with anxiety and depression, John Green is an individual who is in many ways all things to all people and a true gift to and reflection of the "interesting times" in which we are living.

He recently sat down with the New York Times to ... well to talk about how the world looks while being John Green.

In a time largely defined by social disconnection and hopelessness, John Green’s work, across multiple formats and platforms, has been a beacon of humane connection and hope. His beloved young-adult novels, including the mega-best-selling “The Fault in Our Stars,” have shown his gift for both capturing and speaking the emotional language of teenagers. On YouTube, Green and his younger brother and best friend, Hank, post earnest and charmingly wonky videos under the Vlogbrothers banner for a devoted audience of millions. They explore all sorts of weighty subjects: mental health, religion, the meaning of life, you name it. If it’s something that has kept you up at night, the Greens have probably talked about it. (They also have a podcast, “Dear Hank & John,” in which they do much the same thing.)

More recently, John Green turned his attention to global health, with this year’s nonfiction best seller “Everything Is Tuberculosis.” In addition to using TB as a prism through which to examine various forms of medically related injustice — such as the disproportionate toll the disease takes on poor countries — the book also makes an argument for the equality of all lives at a time when the Trump administration is enacting drastic cuts to global health initiatives.

Despite all his good work, Green himself has struggled over the years with feelings of alienation from, among other things, his fiction writing, his vast fan base and his sense of purpose. Those are battles that the 48-year-old knows are never fully won, but he’s keen to keep on fighting.