Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses, Heather E. Quinlan
Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses, Heather E. Quinlan
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Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses
From the Plague of Athens to Covid 19

Author: Heather E. Quinlan

Narrator: Samara Naeymi

Unabridged: 14 hr 28 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/01/2020


Synopsis

COVID-19 and the History of Pandemics and Epidemics
It can come in waves—like tidal waves. It changes societies. It disrupts life. It ends lives. As far back as 3000 B.C.E. (the Bronze Age), plagues have stricken mankind. COVID-19 is just the latest
example, but history shows that life continues. It shows that knowledge and social cooperation can save lives.
Viruses are neither alive nor dead and are the closest thing we have to zombies. Their only known function is to replicate themselves, which can have devastating consequences on their
hosts. Most, but not all, bacteria are good for us. Some are truly horrific, including those that caused the bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic plagues. And viruses and bacteria are always morphing,
evolving, and changing, making them hard to treat. Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses: From the Plague of Athens to COVID-19 is an enlightening, and sometimes frightening, recounting of the
destruction wrought by disease, but it also looks at what humanity has done and can do to overcome even the deadliest and bleakest of contagions.
This important book chronicles the history of plagues and pandemics, human resilience, and what we’ve learned from the past, including …
• The bubonic plague/black plague, which killed 30% to 60% of Europe’s population
• The devastation to the indigenous population in the Americas
• How the 1918 Spanish Flu did not come from Spain
• How disease “inspired” The Canterbury Tales, Wuthering Heights, pop artist Keith Haring, and others
• AIDS’ “patient zero”
• The differences between COVID-19 and other corona viruses
• How climate change will affect future pandemics
• The aftermath of various pandemics
• Several modern diseases making a comeback
• How to stop most epidemics before they can turn into pandemics
• The science of preventative measures and medical interventions
• An exclusive interview with Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the NIAID
• … and much, much more.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Trav on November 01, 2020

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Goodreads review by Hal on January 11, 2022

A very informative and well written historical perspective on the vast world of biological enemies that "plague" us to this day. They always have and always will be a part of our lives. And as we know all to well we keep learning the lessons these critters bestow upon us. Quilan takes us through many......more

Goodreads review by Merike on December 29, 2024

Rather good overview of the topic, but David Quammens Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic is much better read. This one unfortunately cant seem to find its niche. In some places it is very (too) detailed, in other places just too brief in facts. If it was meant for YA readers I......more

Goodreads review by Glenn on November 07, 2022

Plagues are nothing new, even human-caused plague, such as the transmission of disease from Europe to the Americas. We do not live apart from nature. The last outbreak taught us this. Will we learn before a lab releases a deadlier poison in the future? This is an excellent book.......more

Goodreads review by Stacey on December 11, 2020

Very informative and interesting! I learned a bunch!......more