Reviews
"All educated people need to have some understanding of what viruses are and how we deal with them. Viruses, Plagues, and History provides us with a very timely and accessible account of the ways that these minute parasites have indluenced civilization. Dr. Oldstone's narrative should convinceus, both collectively and as individuals, that we cannot afford to be complacent. He shows us the face of some terrible enemies. He tells us of the courage of the few who have dedicated, and sometimes given, their lives to protect humanity. Though there have been major triumphs, the threat fromvirus infections is ever present and evolving."--Peter Doherty, 1996 Nobel Laureate in Medicine, "Oldstone provides concise, telling accounts of the most dreaded viralepidemic diseases and of the virologists who pioneered their identification,pathogenesis, and prevention through vacciantion.... accessible reading for thenon-specialist, and reminds virologists of our debt to the field'sfounders."--Scienc, "This book is not simply a celebration of successes and of champions, Oldstone reveals human frailties and failings unflinchingly....it is a memorable and absorbing excursion into seldom visited areas of medical history."--Canadian Medical Association Journal, "[This book] has a charmingly hagiographic attitude toward the titans of biomedical research and the World Health Organization.... [Oldstone's] sincerity and utter faith in humanity's ability to progress is refreshing in a time of hip cynicism and nihilism."--The Nation, "Altogether, this is a fascinating book that puts the triumphs of preventive medicine, based on patient and sometimes brilliant scientific research, into an historical perspective and enables the lay person to appreciate better the significance of the periodical 'scare' headlines about newviral diseases that appear from time to time in the media."--Dr. Frank Fenner, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Austrailan National University, "This book is fascinating. It serves to entertain and to give us a sense of where we stand as humans in the universe of microorganisms. More importantly, it relates the history of our battles with these agents of disease, in the hope that we can learn from the past, go forward with as muchcourage as did the medical pioneers who fought to save our ancestors, and avoid the pettiness that often led them astray."--Annals of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Oldstone's love of history and scholarship as well as his wisdom andhands-on knowledge of science makes this book engrossing. Everyone from theinterested layman to the infectious diseases expert will enjoy his timelyaccounting of man's battles with viruses that can kill. This is today's versionof DeKruif's Microbe Hunters.--Thomas C. Merigan, Director, Center for AIDSResearch, Stanford University School of Medicine|9780195134223|, "Oldstone...brings new clinical, epidemiological, and research material tohis discussion of a currently popular topic.... His chapter on yellow fever, amajor plague in colonial and early American history, is a particularly excellentexample of detailed investigation readably coupled with logicalnarration."--Booklist, "A worthy successor to classics such as Zinsser's Rats, Lice, and History,and O'Neill's Plagues and People, this highly readable account describes anumber of the most interesting and significant episodes in the history ofvirology and viral diseases. It will interest and inform both the lay reader andthe research professional alike."--Dr. Neal Nathanson, Emeritus Professor andChair, Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center,and Editor in Chief of Viral Pathogenesis, "The author has made a clear effort to make the subject uinderstandable tothose outside biomedical research and he has achieved this goal...an excellentread for healthcare workers, biomedical students, scientists, virologists,immunologists and those interested in the history fo man's battle withinfectious disease."--Nature Medicine, Oldstone's love of history and scholarship as well as his wisdom and hands-on knowledge of science makes this book engrossing. Everyone from the interested layman to the infectious diseases expert will enjoy his timely accounting of man's battles with viruses that can kill. This is today'sversion of DeKruif's Microbe Hunters.--Thomas C. Merigan, Director, Center for AIDS Research, Stanford University School of Medicine|9780195134223|, "Oldstone provides concise, telling accounts of the most dreaded viral epidemic diseases and of the virologists who pioneered their identification, pathogenesis, and prevention through vaccination....accessible reading for the non-specialist, and reminds virologists of our debt to the field'sfounders."--Science, "...this book is fascinating. It serves to entertain and to give us asense of where we stand as humans in the universe of microorganisms. Moreimportantly, it relates the history of our battles with these agents of disease,in the hope that we can learn from the past, go forward with as much courage asdid the medical pioneers who fought to save our ancestors, and avoid thepettiness that often led them astray."--Annals of the Royal College ofPhysicians and Surgeons of Canada, "A worthy successor to classics such as Zinsser's Rats, Lice, and History, and O'Neill's Plagues and People, this highly readable account describes a number of the most interesting and significant episodes in the history of virology and viral diseases. It will interest and inform both the layreader and the research professional alike."--Dr. Neal Nathanson, Emeritus Professor and Chair, Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, and Editor in Chief of Viral Pathogenesis, "The notion that viruses can shape global events is at the heart of [Oldstone's volume], a short book that attempts to intertwine the story of some of the world's most notorious viral diseases with the history of humanity. From his account of how smallpox devastated native Indian populations,facilitating the Spanish conquest of Mexico and Peru, to his discussion of the effect of measles on Civil War troops, he makes a solid case.... The book is sprinkled with good anecdotes."--The New York Times Book Review, "Oldstone...brings new clinical, epidemiological, and research material to his discussion of a currently popular topic.... He well understands historical contexts and developments, and he has interviewed scientists involved in pertinent clinical and research work when that was possible. Hischapter on yellow fever, a major plague in colonial and early American history, is a particularly excellent example of detailed investigation readably coupled with logical narration."--Booklist, "Altogether, this is a fascinating book that puts the triumphs ofpreventive medicine, based on patient and sometimes brilliant scientificresearch, into an historical perspective and enables the lay person toappreciate better the significance of the periodical 'scare' headlines about newviral diseases that appear from time to time in the media."--Dr. Frank Fenner,John Curtin School of Medical Research, Austrailan National University, "All educated people need to have some understanding of what viruses areand how we deal with them. Viruses, Plagues, and History provides us with a verytimely and accessible account of the ways that these minute parasites haveindluenced civilization. Dr. Oldstone's narrative should convince us, bothcollectively and as individuals, that we cannot afford to be complacent. Heshows us the face of some terrible enemies. He tells us of the courage of thefew who have dedicated, and sometimes given, their lives to protect humanity.Though there have been major triumphs, the threat from virus infections is everpresent and evolving."--Peter Doherty, Professor of Immunology, St. JudeChildren's Research Hospital, "The author has made a clear effort to make the subject uinderstandable to those outside biomedical research and he has achieved this goal...an excellent read for healthcare workers, biomedical students, scientists, virologists, immunologists and those interested in the history of man's battlewith infectious disease."--Nature Medicine
