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Started reading a book purportedly about the Spanish Flu, but so far is actually about the history of medical practice in the United States. Also if he calls Johns Hopkins University "The Hopkins" a few more times I'm going to smack him. Or his book, which will be closer to me. (I'm having flashbacks to Sean Wilentz and his freaking "The Democracy.")
ETA: 40% in and we're finally starting to deal with the flu epidemic. That's a long set-up section! ...more
ETA: 40% in and we're finally starting to deal with the flu epidemic. That's a long set-up section! ...more
Barry’s The Great Influenza did send me scurrying off to get my flu shot. But his book is about so much more that the 1918 Pandemic. The development and history of the medical profession is interesting to read about. He describes the dedicated, brilliant, men and women who work in research labs figuring things out like DNA, viruses, and bacteria.
It look me awhile to read this because I took the book on a trip in 2014 and lost it. But wanting to read this book I was enjoying so much, I finally g ...more
It look me awhile to read this because I took the book on a trip in 2014 and lost it. But wanting to read this book I was enjoying so much, I finally g ...more
It took me months and months, but I finally made it through this long and arduous book. While the information and retelling of this historic time in U.S. history was exceptional, this felt like 2 books that had been put under one title, and I found it frustrating. Barry spends the first third of this book capturing the history of medical science and the men (there was only 2-3 women of mention at the time) who were shaping this field in North America. Yes, the exploration of this topic is releva
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Exhausting. And uneven. And kind of a misdirection. To a large degree this really isn't a history the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918. Instead its more of a history of the beginnings of modern investigative medicine, especially in the United States. The beginning of this book was a trudge that seemed like it would never get to the point. The Afterword reads like it could have been written last year with only very few changes and was absolutely the best part. And there is the bit when Influenza
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In this book focused on the 1918 flu pandemic, Barry develops several themes-medical education and research in the US, responses by various communities and government entities to the crisis, and the mental skills, and personality types that make successful researchers. The afterward of this edition discusses the US's and the world's preparedness for the next flu pandemic.
Barry does a very good job with the medical education and research piece as well as the various group responses. They are fas ...more
Barry does a very good job with the medical education and research piece as well as the various group responses. They are fas ...more
Oct 28, 2007
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