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daumari's review against another edition
5.0
Zoonotic diseases are reminders that we are in fact made of the same stuff as the rest of the natural world- viruses hijack our cells' replication mechanisms, bacteria lurking in a rat finds a home in our bodies, etc. Quammen takes a very thorough look at these for a popular audience, with each section about different types of disease or commonality that links many.
For instance, it never occurred to me that bats could be a huge, huge vector for types of viruses. But they do explain the spread of Nipah, Marburg, and possibly Ebola (very mobile, large population density, and when they poop it goes everywhere). Part historical view, part travelogue shadowing scientists in the field makes for a comprehensive picture of what is known and where to look next.
In the epilogue Quammen considers the word 'outbreak'- a giant population influx in a short amount of time, often used for disease but also for insects (like the cicada one due any time on the east coast). Insect outbreaks are usually kept in check by viruses. As we speed past 7 billion humans, we're certainly in the middle of our own outbreak on the planet so... are we due for a pandemic? The answer is probably yes, but we can be smart about our habits and practices to prevent a larger toll.
For instance, it never occurred to me that bats could be a huge, huge vector for types of viruses. But they do explain the spread of Nipah, Marburg, and possibly Ebola (very mobile, large population density, and when they poop it goes everywhere). Part historical view, part travelogue shadowing scientists in the field makes for a comprehensive picture of what is known and where to look next.
In the epilogue Quammen considers the word 'outbreak'- a giant population influx in a short amount of time, often used for disease but also for insects (like the cicada one due any time on the east coast). Insect outbreaks are usually kept in check by viruses. As we speed past 7 billion humans, we're certainly in the middle of our own outbreak on the planet so... are we due for a pandemic? The answer is probably yes, but we can be smart about our habits and practices to prevent a larger toll.
gadicohen93's review against another edition
4.0
Really good research and writing that got slow at times.
whoareyouhannah's review against another edition
5.0
One of the most fascinating books I've ever read. Also terrifying. But I learned a lot.
wquindley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I really like David Quammen’s writing style, he does a really great job of making his writing informative yet conversational and easy to digest. Some sections felt really long and drawn out but i think he did a great job presenting the information.
mikkelskifter's review against another edition
5.0
Fed bog om viruser; spændende fortalt historie om de kendte af dem (Ebola, Aids, SARS/Corona, Influenza m.m), forståelig videnskab bag viruserne og det detektivarbejde der foregår verden over for at finde ud af hvorfra og hvordan de opstod.
pictusfish's review against another edition
5.0
Very accessible yet rigorous book. The author's writing style is informative and funny.
karenbrooke's review against another edition
3.0
A lot of interesting material, but too much filler! Couldn't get into it.
michalow's review against another edition
5.0
Read this book, which was published in 2012, if you still need convincing that the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 was a largely predictable event for which the US should have been much better prepared. Quammen does an excellent job conveying how much remains unknown about zoonotic infections, but there's a lot that we do know, and with Quammen as the storyteller, most of it is riveting. There's a lot of science packed into this book, but the style is very conversational and easy to read.
erintowner's review against another edition
4.0
There are a couple of misses regarding individual human behavior change, policy, systems etc. and how that impacts pandemics but overall this made me miss working in infectious disease sooo much! And Africa!