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Epidemics and Society

From the Black Death to the Present

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About this listen

A "brilliant and sobering" (Paul Kennedy, Wall Street Journal) look at the history and human costs of pandemic outbreaks

As seen on 60 Minutes

The World Economic Forum number one book for context on the coronavirus outbreak

This sweeping exploration of the impact of epidemic diseases looks at how mass infectious outbreaks have shaped society, from the Black Death to today, and in a new preface addresses the global threat of COVID-19. In a clear and accessible style, Frank M. Snowden reveals the ways that diseases have not only influenced medical science and public health, but also transformed the arts, religion, intellectual history, and warfare.

A multidisciplinary and comparative investigation of the medical and social history of the major epidemics, this volume touches on themes such as the evolution of medical therapy, plague literature, poverty, the environment, and mass hysteria. In addition to providing historical perspective on diseases such as smallpox, cholera, and tuberculosis, Snowden examines the fallout from recent epidemics such as HIV/AIDS, SARS, and Ebola and the question of the world's preparedness for the next generation of diseases.

©2019 Frank M. Snowden (P)2020 Tantor History History & Commentary History & Philosophy Medicine & Health Care Industry Science
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This book is an important piece of work in history of disease and populations. However, the narration is terrible, making this incredibly hard to listen to. I ended up buying a hard copy. Almost sounds like AI.

Excellent book, poor narration

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a very detailed amd unbiased review of history and the facts. I would like to read the updated edition when covid is added

very detailed and unbiased

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Written before the current Covid 19 pandemic, but completely illuminating. This discusses the theories which underpinned strange and terrifying sicknesses through the ages and what the medics and authorities did in response.

Our current pandemic is much the same: no firm origin, not much clue about spread and no cure. Some things don't change! Even the measures still used also reflect some of the preventation rules of the 14th century Black Death.

Time has not mitigated some of these ancient scourges and this book really helps us to understand why.

A really interesting parallel between epidemics

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