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A review by vanessakm
The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years by Sonia Shah
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.