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aubreystapp's review against another edition
3.0
Very interesting, dragged toward the end though, tbh I skimmed the last 50 pages or so.
jonas_gehrlein's review against another edition
4.0
The book is a good explanation of malaria both historically and how we are dealing with it today.
The criticism of modern behaviour towards is mostly that we simplify some problems and ignore finding out if all the nets we give to people help anyone and measure improvement by number of nets given and ignore how the nets aren`t used correctly. The book biggest defect is that it writes about malaria as some scheming villain that no protozoan is.
The criticism of modern behaviour towards is mostly that we simplify some problems and ignore finding out if all the nets we give to people help anyone and measure improvement by number of nets given and ignore how the nets aren`t used correctly. The book biggest defect is that it writes about malaria as some scheming villain that no protozoan is.
momey's review against another edition
3.0
honestly i was disappointed. i knew all this and i did not enjoy the style of writing.
paul_hmb's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting to learn about the history of malaria and the effect it has on society. It hewed a little too much to editorializing in parts with a definite bias instead of showing both sides of the debate on how to control malaria.
Also, one thing that bothered me but was small is that her footnotes don't seem to follow a standard style and don't follow a standard format throughout the book. She also cites references in other books that reference even another book. That is just poor research on the writer's part and wouldn't even pass the sniff test of a high school teacher.
Also, one thing that bothered me but was small is that her footnotes don't seem to follow a standard style and don't follow a standard format throughout the book. She also cites references in other books that reference even another book. That is just poor research on the writer's part and wouldn't even pass the sniff test of a high school teacher.
ckadams5's review against another edition
3.0
Sonia Shah describes the scourge of malaria through history and how it affects millions of people today. She describes how difficult a disease it is to deal with (and why), but also recounts numerous missteps made in the attempt to rid the world of malaria. She is also critical of the popularization of the campaign against malaria, even being critical of the response of organizations like the Gates Foundation. An interesting read that clearly delineates why malaria is so destructive and so difficult to deal with, but doesn't really lead to many suggestions as to how we could do better.
esantos's review against another edition
2.0
Gives a decent picture of malaria for general audiences, but the author has written media pieces about widespread bed net misuse that are inaccurate and could be detrimental to malaria control efforts
vanessakm's review against another edition
3.0
I heard the author of this book on Fresh Air and she was so interesting, I was convinced to read this book that I likely would have otherwise passed by. This is an surprisingly fascinating accounting of the long history of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium, and the impact it's had on civilization in terms of language, migration, colonization, economy, the environment, and the spread of HIV. It's killed some famous people like Alexander the Great (probably), Dante, Lord Byron, King Charles II of England. And Oliver Cromwell, who spurned a remedy proffered by the Jesuits (a still effective one called quinine) saying it was a Catholic plot. Since Cromwell was a jackhole, that story is awesome. Malaria still has a tremendous impact in huge parts of the world despite the DDT campaigns of the 1950's and the contemporary work of the Gates Foundation, which I was surprised to learn the author is skeptical about. I also learned that malaria didn't exist in the Americas till the Europeans, and later African slaves, brought it here.
I did enjoy reading this book. It is informative and copiously foot-noted, always a good sign. In the end, I gave it three stars because the author sometimes tells a story that leaves you with a significant question that isn't answered till chapters later, she is at times given to hyperbole, a few sentences were worded confusingly and occasionally historical events were mentioned without dates. I freely admit this last item is an idiosyncrasy of mine. You, fellow reader, may not care. Solidly good reading even if you aren't an etiology nerd.
I did enjoy reading this book. It is informative and copiously foot-noted, always a good sign. In the end, I gave it three stars because the author sometimes tells a story that leaves you with a significant question that isn't answered till chapters later, she is at times given to hyperbole, a few sentences were worded confusingly and occasionally historical events were mentioned without dates. I freely admit this last item is an idiosyncrasy of mine. You, fellow reader, may not care. Solidly good reading even if you aren't an etiology nerd.
eggcellent_reads's review
"We want to think of Africans as battling an enemy, malaria, so that we can help them fight this enemy. We come bearing the best of our society has to offer: our riches and our technology. But the fight outsiders would like to wage against malaria isn't always the same one fought by those who live with the disease."
A well written, interesting and informative read. Really enjoyed it.
A well written, interesting and informative read. Really enjoyed it.