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lazy_raven's review against another edition
5.0
Almost ironic that this book was published 2 years before Covid-19 was taking over our lives. Loved how this isn't just a nerdy book, the author puts in their own opinions in a creative way. I now have a few books she referenced that I now want to read. Also the audio narrator is stellar (as expected from Zackman).
mogffm3's review
5.0
Loved this book!
Listened to the audio book, great narration, a funny dry sense of humor.
Listened to the audio book, great narration, a funny dry sense of humor.
greenbean_1's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
The prose is witty and passionate. The book is best when discussing the kindness, compassion, and community that occured during certain plagues as well as their subsequent "heros". Unfortunalty the book almost exclusivly disscussed the western world and ventures very very briefly into Asia and Africa (if only to discuss global stats and effects).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism and Misogyny
Minor: Racism
R slur and F slur said once each.le_corbeau_romantique's review
5.0
Books are here for different reasons. Most of us read for pure entertainment or education. This book, however, is in the rare category that makes you a better person by the time you finish it. It is now at the top of my most favorite books I have ever read. As odd as this may be, judging by the title, this is a comforting book. This is one I will pick up when I'm sad/discouraged with myself or people as a whole. I loved listening to it so much I bought a hard copy.
Wright humanizes history:
What I want to carry in my heart forevermore: Father Damien's bravery, ingenuity, and compassion for the people of the Molokai leper colony, the community of Strasbourg, Germany, who showed how we're supposed to take care of our neighbors during the 1518 Dancing Plague, and Jonas Salk's generosity and the American people during the Polio epidemic.
Get Well Soon is a glorious reminder to learn history so we don't repeat it and to treat EVERYONE with dignity, compassion, and respect (whether they are sick or not): be good, do better. Wright's own compassion, love, and HOPE for humanity is achingly beautiful in her writing but does not overshadow the information and stories in this wonderful entry in social/science history. I'm definitely looking forward to more from Jennifer Wright.
Wright humanizes history:
"Shaming people for contracting a disease that we don't have a cure for is still common today. In part we want to believe that those people are not like us. We like to believe that people somehow brought diseases on themselves, but diseases are mindless and do not judiciously pick the worst people in the world to murder. The more we distance ourselves from diseases and their victims, the harder it becomes to educate people about or raise funds for a cure (because why would you want to cure something only monstrous people get?). Portraying the afflicted in a way that acknowledges their suffering but also shows them to be brave and humorous and able to joke make them seem like any one of us. ...Diseases don't ruin lives just because they rot off noses. They destroy people if the rest of society isolates them and treats them as undeserving of help and respect." (p.105-6)
What I want to carry in my heart forevermore: Father Damien's bravery, ingenuity, and compassion for the people of the Molokai leper colony, the community of Strasbourg, Germany, who showed how we're supposed to take care of our neighbors during the 1518 Dancing Plague, and Jonas Salk's generosity and the American people during the Polio epidemic.
Get Well Soon is a glorious reminder to learn history so we don't repeat it and to treat EVERYONE with dignity, compassion, and respect (whether they are sick or not): be good, do better. Wright's own compassion, love, and HOPE for humanity is achingly beautiful in her writing but does not overshadow the information and stories in this wonderful entry in social/science history. I'm definitely looking forward to more from Jennifer Wright.
marieintheraw's review
4.0
while it took me a bit to finish this, it's a high four. a great look at plagues throughout history
badseedgirl's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my rare non-fiction reads.
I read this book firmly wearing the shat colored glasses that is the COVID-19 Pandemic. Because of this I could not help but be moved and enraged by the "Spanish Flu" section. In spite of the science, politicians have handled this virus in an even worse way than Woodrow Wilson, and because of this, four months into the vaccination process in my home state of Tennessee only approximately 19% of the population has had the vaccination[1]. At this rate it will take my state at least another 1.5 years to reach the 85% [2] target rate for herd immunity, and that is if everyone agrees to get the vaccine. Did I mention that in my own county alone 14% of the students starting elementary school are not vaccinated due to religious or medical exemptions[3]? We are never going to be able to get out of quarantine in a safe manner. Don't get me wrong, quarantine will end here and I'm suspecting it will be sooner rather than later, but I also suspect to see another surge of cases when it is.
I will get off my soap box and review the book.
It seems irreverent to laugh while reading such a serious topic, but the authors asides, not only made the subject matter approachable but also made it at time hilarious. The author does not hide her opinion on anti-vaxxers or of several of the scientist and politicians discussed in this book. These little nuggets of humor do not negate the educational aspects of the book, but enhance it. A couple of the viruses/bacterial infections were new to me, but I was aware of the lobotomy section, and of course everyone now has at least heard for the Spanish Flu. Antonine plague and Encephalitis Lethargica are new ones to me. I guess I never saw the movies discussed in the book, Awake. All in all, except for the rant above, I thoroughly enjoyed this book about plagues and diseases, which should be an odd statement, but for me really isn't.
3 - https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2019/04/15/tennessee-schools-vaccines/3471635002/
2 - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/24/health/herd-immunity-covid-coronavirus.html?auth=login-facebook
1 - https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/covid-19-vaccine-information.html
I read this book firmly wearing the shat colored glasses that is the COVID-19 Pandemic. Because of this I could not help but be moved and enraged by the "Spanish Flu" section. In spite of the science, politicians have handled this virus in an even worse way than Woodrow Wilson, and because of this, four months into the vaccination process in my home state of Tennessee only approximately 19% of the population has had the vaccination[1]. At this rate it will take my state at least another 1.5 years to reach the 85% [2] target rate for herd immunity, and that is if everyone agrees to get the vaccine. Did I mention that in my own county alone 14% of the students starting elementary school are not vaccinated due to religious or medical exemptions[3]? We are never going to be able to get out of quarantine in a safe manner. Don't get me wrong, quarantine will end here and I'm suspecting it will be sooner rather than later, but I also suspect to see another surge of cases when it is.
I will get off my soap box and review the book.
It seems irreverent to laugh while reading such a serious topic, but the authors asides, not only made the subject matter approachable but also made it at time hilarious. The author does not hide her opinion on anti-vaxxers or of several of the scientist and politicians discussed in this book. These little nuggets of humor do not negate the educational aspects of the book, but enhance it. A couple of the viruses/bacterial infections were new to me, but I was aware of the lobotomy section, and of course everyone now has at least heard for the Spanish Flu. Antonine plague and Encephalitis Lethargica are new ones to me. I guess I never saw the movies discussed in the book, Awake. All in all, except for the rant above, I thoroughly enjoyed this book about plagues and diseases, which should be an odd statement, but for me really isn't.
3 - https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2019/04/15/tennessee-schools-vaccines/3471635002/
2 - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/24/health/herd-immunity-covid-coronavirus.html?auth=login-facebook
1 - https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/covid-19-vaccine-information.html
jilly7922's review
4.0
Jennifer Wright is a well established author as she is the author of the well known book "It Ended Badly: Thirteen Of The Worst Breakups In History." This book is a thorough history of the various plagues and how they were handled, and fought against.
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a well written book. Although the subject matter may sound a little on the boring side, this book will be one of the most entertaining books you will read. Maybe it is because the author and me speak the same language of sarcasm and humor. The subject of this book don't get me wrong is very depressing but I found myself laughing throughout the entire book. The author narrated this book brilliantly, I had so much fun reading it while learning a lot about the scary history of different plagues that hit civilizations from the beginning of time. I love it when I find new authors that I love and hence I am looking forward to reading more from Jennifer Wright including her previous book "It Ended Badly: Thirteen Of The Worst Breakups In History."
I would like to thank Netgalley, Jennifer Wright, and Henry Holt & Company for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews come and read my book review blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a well written book. Although the subject matter may sound a little on the boring side, this book will be one of the most entertaining books you will read. Maybe it is because the author and me speak the same language of sarcasm and humor. The subject of this book don't get me wrong is very depressing but I found myself laughing throughout the entire book. The author narrated this book brilliantly, I had so much fun reading it while learning a lot about the scary history of different plagues that hit civilizations from the beginning of time. I love it when I find new authors that I love and hence I am looking forward to reading more from Jennifer Wright including her previous book "It Ended Badly: Thirteen Of The Worst Breakups In History."
I would like to thank Netgalley, Jennifer Wright, and Henry Holt & Company for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews come and read my book review blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com
bexduck's review
5.0
I really really loved this book. Kind of weird to listen to it during a pandemic. But the dark humor was oddly comforting. It was humourous and with the perfect amount of pop culture references peppered in with historical facts. Going to recommend to everyone
ccollard58's review
1.0
I see a great book hidden in here. There are flashes of it when the author combines medical details, historical facts and the cultural impact of disease.
Her unfortunate habit of pontification and distorted revisions of history to suit her politics ruins 90% of the book though. I'm always disappointed when i see this, authors who just can't get out of their own way.
Every once in a while the humor is fun, biting and dark. But again most of the time the jokes are really just hate directed at people the author dislikes. That kind of thing really falls flat unless you are exactly in the same political/cultural/demographic camp, and even then seems pretty trite. For the rest of us it can be pretty offensive.
Overall the approach is good: Combine scientific detail with historical fact, make it meaningful with insights on culture and societal change. Sprinkle in some gallows humor and you have a winning combination. Too bad this author could not execute. It does give me good search criteria for other books i might enjoy in the future though.
As a side note we used this title for a book club. It did generate lots of good discussion, mostly correcting the inaccurate or stilted history presented in the book, so in this case it succeeded! :)
Her unfortunate habit of pontification and distorted revisions of history to suit her politics ruins 90% of the book though. I'm always disappointed when i see this, authors who just can't get out of their own way.
Every once in a while the humor is fun, biting and dark. But again most of the time the jokes are really just hate directed at people the author dislikes. That kind of thing really falls flat unless you are exactly in the same political/cultural/demographic camp, and even then seems pretty trite. For the rest of us it can be pretty offensive.
Overall the approach is good: Combine scientific detail with historical fact, make it meaningful with insights on culture and societal change. Sprinkle in some gallows humor and you have a winning combination. Too bad this author could not execute. It does give me good search criteria for other books i might enjoy in the future though.
As a side note we used this title for a book club. It did generate lots of good discussion, mostly correcting the inaccurate or stilted history presented in the book, so in this case it succeeded! :)