Melissa Alvarez

John Michael Green, born in 1977, is an American author and prominent online content creator, widely recognized for his significant influence on the young adult fiction genre. His books have achieved substantial global sales, with "The Fault in Our Stars" being a particularly notable success. Green's career began with his debut novel, "Looking for Alaska," which earned him the Michael L. Printz Award. He later co-founded the popular YouTube channel Vlogbrothers with his brother Hank, fostering a large online community known as Nerdfighteria and initiating projects like Project for Awesome.

Beyond his literary achievements, Green has also explored themes of mental health, including anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, in works like "Turtles All the Way Down" and "The Anthropocene Reviewed." The latter began as a podcast before being adapted into a nonfiction book. Green has also been an active advocate for global health causes, serving as a trustee for Partners In Health and contributing to efforts to combat tuberculosis. His writing often draws from personal experiences, including his time as a student chaplain and his struggles with mental well-being.

John Green's journey into writing began after he attended Kenyon College, where he majored in English and religious studies. Following a period as a student chaplain at a children's hospital, an experience that profoundly influenced his perspective, he transitioned to working at Booklist magazine. It was during this time that he began crafting his first novel, "Looking for Alaska," which was published in 2005 and received the prestigious Michael L. Printz Award in 2006. This early success marked a significant turning point, leading him to leave his editorial role. He continued his literary output with "An Abundance of Katherines" in 2006, a novel noted for its more comedic tone compared to his debut.

In parallel with his literary career, John Green, alongside his brother Hank, launched the Vlogbrothers YouTube channel in 2007. This venture quickly cultivated a dedicated online community, Nerdfighteria, and spawned initiatives such as Project for Awesome, an annual charity fundraiser. This online presence expanded to include various video projects and the creation of VidCon, an annual conference for online video creators. Green also collaborated on several literary works, including "Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances" (2008) and "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" (2010). His educational channel, Crash Course, launched in 2011, further cemented his impact on online content creation.

Green achieved widespread commercial and critical success with his 2012 novel, "The Fault in Our Stars." The book's immense popularity led to a highly successful film adaptation in 2014 and inspired further screen adaptations of his work. This period also saw Green recognized among Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2014. Later, his projects like the novel "Turtles All the Way Down" (2017) and "The Anthropocene Reviewed" (2018–2021) delved more directly into his personal experiences with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. "The Anthropocene Reviewed," initially a podcast, was adapted into his first nonfiction book in 2021.

Since the mid-2010s, John Green has actively engaged in global health advocacy. He serves as a trustee for Partners In Health, supporting initiatives aimed at reducing maternal mortality in Sierra Leone and working to combat tuberculosis worldwide. His second nonfiction book, "Everything Is Tuberculosis," was slated for release in March 2025. Additionally, Green has announced his first novel intended for adult readers, titled "Hollywood, Ending," scheduled for publication in September 2026, signaling a new phase in his literary career.