The Great Influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history,   ISBN:9780143036494

Customer Rating: 

The first half of the book, "The Great Influenza" brought this devastating illness to life through those medical caregivers who were trying to deal with it. As a former US history teacher, I wish I'd had it to share with my students so they would truly feel the horror of a pandemic, its rapid spead and high death toll. Reading it while the H1N1 concerns re vaccinations were in the news helped me understand the potential for disaster this year. I'd recommend it to all medical staff and to anyone who who loves a "mystery story." However, the last half of the book is truly for the scientist--I found it tedious. But I'm glad I read the book (or most of it).

Customer Rating: 

Mr. Barry did an excellent job of immersing the reader into the 1918 pandemic. The author also took great pains to describe the history and still budding field of scientific research in America. The book is clearly boosterism for science and the intrepid scientists who made great efforts and took huge personal risks in the pursuit of knowledge. But it also explains the numerous inept politicians due to cronyism, President Wilson using the Bill of Rights as so much toilet paper in an effort to win WWI, and the major head-trip Americans endured in dealing with all the dead bodies. My only disappointment is the omission of the religious reactions to what many interpreted as another Black Plague. It's hard to believe that "The End of Days" Bible-thumping didn't do boffo business with the fearful. Mr. Barry's easy-to-read book was historically and scientifically educational, exciting and clarifies a lot about how and why the world is handling the potential pandemics, such as the H1N1 virus, in the manner in which they are. You can't go wrong with this great read.

Customer Rating: 

"But it's only influenza" repeats the author like a refrain during the narrative of the most horrific days of 1918. Here's a book, written well before the current H1N1 pandemic, that described an earlier H1N1 outbreak that turned terrible on it's second wave. Includes lots of excellent background information on the scientists and epidemiologist at work before and during the outbreak. My biggest take-away from this book is the realization of how quickly our entire medical system would be overwhelmed by a pandemic of this size. Sobering indeed.

Customer Rating: 

This book was chosen for my AAUW book group, and I'm glad it was. I probably would never have chosen the book myself or even have known about it. It is fascinating. It is a thorough analysis of the beginnings of the 1918 flu pandemic (probably started here at a Kansas army camp as we were preparing to send troups to France#. I'd always heard it was the Spanish flu #nonsense#, killed 20 million people #probably closer to 80-100 million)and little was done to stop it (all- out effort from the american scientists of the day)and how the pandemic influenced history (Wilson had the flu during negotiations on the Treaty of Versailles) With the emergence of H1N1, everybody should take a page out of history and read The Great Influenza.

Customer Rating: 

As an emergency medicine physician I found this to be a fascinating book. It illustrates the science the epidemiology and the medicine used in an attempt to control the pandemic. The book also gives an excellent description of the political and societal factors that came into play. This book was well worth my time.