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9th out of 65 books
—
40 voters
The Viral Storm: The Dawn of a New Pandemic Age
by
Nathan Wolfe
Dynamic young Stanford biologist Nathan Wolfe reveals the surprising origins of the world's most deadly viruses, and how we can overcome catastrophic pandemics.
In The Viral Storm, award-winning biologist Nathan Wolfe tells the story of how viruses and human beings have evolved side by side through history; how deadly viruses like HIV, swine flu, and bird flu almost wiped...more
In The Viral Storm, award-winning biologist Nathan Wolfe tells the story of how viruses and human beings have evolved side by side through history; how deadly viruses like HIV, swine flu, and bird flu almost wiped...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
October 11th 2011
by Times Books
(first published October 1st 2011)
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This is a very readable book that is carefully researched. In it Wolfe answers some of the questions about how pandemics begin, why they gain strength and means of preventing them. But the book is much more than that. He weaves primate behaviors, human behaviors and viral outbreaks into a colorful and interesting whole, clarifying in the process answers to the above questions.
First, it is clear that other primates hunt. In doing so, butchering and eating the raw meat of other animals (mainly mon...more
First, it is clear that other primates hunt. In doing so, butchering and eating the raw meat of other animals (mainly mon...more
The Viral Storm is a fast, informative overview of the human interaction with microbes and infectious diseases. It is a good book to start with if you are interested in epidemiology and the scary possibility of pandemics. Anyone who has kept abreast of the various outbreaks in the past quarter-century will be familiar with much of this information, eg. HIV, Ebola, Avian flu, SARS, etc. but there is also much that is new and interesting, for instance, the appearance of Monkeypox in the remote for...more
It sounds like Wolfe has done some interesting research and is working hard to prevent a new viral pandemic, but if you want the details you'll have to look elsewhere, because this poorly edited, badly written book won't give them to you.
Most chapters start with a punchy description of some poor schnook dying of a viral disease, but we learn almost nothing else about that disease and the rest of the chapter gives us only vague dumbed down overview of some topic that, if you have read anything pu...more
Most chapters start with a punchy description of some poor schnook dying of a viral disease, but we learn almost nothing else about that disease and the rest of the chapter gives us only vague dumbed down overview of some topic that, if you have read anything pu...more
This is alarmist baloney. The author either doesn't know what he's talking about or else is deliberately misleading the reader.
Right from the start, for example, on page 9, he writes "H5N1 is important because it kills remarkably effectively. The virus's case fatality rate, or the percentage of infected individuals that die, is around 60 percent. For a microbe, that's incredibly deadly."
The reason this statement is so incredible is because it's not true.
First of all, he has the wrong definition...more
Right from the start, for example, on page 9, he writes "H5N1 is important because it kills remarkably effectively. The virus's case fatality rate, or the percentage of infected individuals that die, is around 60 percent. For a microbe, that's incredibly deadly."
The reason this statement is so incredible is because it's not true.
First of all, he has the wrong definition...more
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Not all scientists can write. Stanford visiting professor Nathan Wolfe can and does a superb job. Concepts which have been difficult for others to explain flow easily from Wolfe's pen. He brings us up-to-date and shares fascinating situations which show just how complex our world has become.
One of the most important concepts to take away from the book is that there is probably no single disease host or reservoir for any particular disease, as was previously thought. Rather, all species have a...more
One of the most important concepts to take away from the book is that there is probably no single disease host or reservoir for any particular disease, as was previously thought. Rather, all species have a...more
Wow! I wasn't really sure I wanted to read this book, and now that I've finished it I'm still not sure I wanted to read it. It is fascinating, frightening, and hopeful. Dr. Wolfe has worked many years in the fields of virology, microbiology, and lots of other "-ologies" and has written a book that should be required reading for everyone. I will no longer shirk my flu shots; even if I'm not afraid of the virus for myself, I will take the shots to protect my family. Of particular interest to me wa...more
There were several things I liked about this book, even though it's not the type of thing I usually read. First, as a science novice, I appreciated the simple explanations of how viruses evolve and function. Learning how viruses jump from animals to humans was fascinating. Wolfe's assertion that perhaps we are overspending on stopping terrorist attacks and would be better served (in terms of protecting human life) by funding more scientific research makes perfect sense. Although his name-droppin...more
An oversimplified view of infectious disease that lacked new information for anyone even moderately well-read in the field, I was disappointed by Nathan Wolfe's book. Wolfe attempted to follow the pattern so often used by infectious disease literature - open with a case study of a real person infected by the disease before transitioning into more depth information on the microbe. However, the opening anecdotes frequently ended up being unconnected to the rest of the chapter. Wolfe then failed to...more
This is a good, easy to read overview of the science of viruses - it doesn't match the page-turning quality of Richard Preston's the Hot Zone, but what does? Nathan Wolf focuses on the science, rather than the stories, of tracking viruses and viral diseases and gives you the basics: what viruses are, how they infect humans (by way of birds and mammals), how viruses extend their range and how he and other scientists are working to catch the next viral epidemic before it wreaks havoc. That section...more
Really enjoyed this book. Picked it up after listening to the "Patient Zero" Radiolab episode and watching Contagion a few weeks ago. Really expands on the concepts introduced in Radiolab, with some pretty amazing information about how widespread certain virii are (even though they could be benign), the mechanisms of transmission, and the role of bushmeat as a conduit for microbes to spillover into humans.
Big takeaways - always get tested for rabies if you're bitten by an animal. 100% lethal onc...more
Big takeaways - always get tested for rabies if you're bitten by an animal. 100% lethal onc...more
This is a good book for the seasoned armchair epidemiologist as well as newcomer for the field.
Author is great communicator and speaks in terms that anyone can understand regarding viruses; the ability of viruses to mutate, jump species and basically act like, viruses.
Great chapter on beneficial viruses, as well as covering some of the other microbes, with emphasis on field work and how people harvesting wildlife are exposed to varied viral agents, making it possible for pandemics to start. Au...more
Author is great communicator and speaks in terms that anyone can understand regarding viruses; the ability of viruses to mutate, jump species and basically act like, viruses.
Great chapter on beneficial viruses, as well as covering some of the other microbes, with emphasis on field work and how people harvesting wildlife are exposed to varied viral agents, making it possible for pandemics to start. Au...more
This is an excellent review of virology and epidemiology and why they matter in the era of mass world travel. The author's descriptions of viral organisms and infections and of the cause and effect of transmission are complete but not complex. It is appropriate for a non-science audience. In making the science of this work more palatable, the author provides specific examples of infection and transmission using recent news stories (SARS, N1H1, HIV for example). To me these make the book more che...more
This is one of the best non-fiction science books I have read. Nathan Wolfe, a biologist, though I think virologist would be more accurate, takes us into the world of viruses and their implications for humanity. His steady pace and even-handed way of presenting the facts makes this a very readable book for a novice such as myself. His explanations of how viruses function, react to one another, mutate, and harness the will of their hosts are easily understandable without being overly simplistic....more
This is one of the best non-fiction science books I have read. Nathan Wolfe, a biologist, though I think virologist would be more accurate, takes us into the world of viruses and their implications for humanity. His steady pace and even-handed way of presenting the facts makes this a very readable book for a novice such as myself. His explanations of how viruses function, react to one another, mutate, and harness the will of their hosts are easily understandable without being overly simplistic....more
At first I thought this was too simple, too basic, but I came to appreciate what Wolfe was doing: writing both a primer that gets lay readers up-to-speed and a quasi-memoir in which he recounts some of his own research and pays his respects to his colleagues all over the world (I can see why he's popular in the scientific community and among science-writers/popularizers). To my knowledge there is still nothing out there that replaces Laurie Garrett's The Coming Plague and Betrayal of Trust on th...more
This is a good introductory book for anyone interested in epidemiology, microbiology, and/or evolution. I say "introductory" because it is definitely written for someone with little to no background in biology.
I liked that this book took a much broader view towards disease-causing microbes than a lot of people usually do. By this, I mean there was an emphasis on the evolution and ecology of microbes, as well as the fact that there are many neutral and beneficial things out there (and in us) too....more
I liked that this book took a much broader view towards disease-causing microbes than a lot of people usually do. By this, I mean there was an emphasis on the evolution and ecology of microbes, as well as the fact that there are many neutral and beneficial things out there (and in us) too....more
I may have become a bit of a Nathan Wolfe groupie after seeing him on the Colbert Report last year. I guess if I really wanted to lay my interest in this scientist and his research on thick, I would describe him as the Indiana Jones of the virology world. His continued attempts to pinpoint the provenance of harmful microbes' transmission to humans and, perhaps more importantly, his attempts to forecast where potential pandemics might arise, have definitely piqued my interest in human susceptibil...more
Mar 07, 2012
Rock Angel
added it
Recommends it for:
Does the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research intrigue you?
On one hand, a rambunctious, exhilarating delight; on the other, a little too general after such tantalizing promises. But then, i only finished Ch. 1.
Ch. 3 "the microbe bottleneck" was yet another fascinating read. It might be more aptly titled "the historical bottleneck of microbial repertoire in humans". Again i find the material somewhat repetitive. Maybe the author wants to make this book ultra-readable, maybe I'm just type A, it's not deep 2nough nor fast 2nough for me, my bad.
From Ch. 6 o...more
Ch. 3 "the microbe bottleneck" was yet another fascinating read. It might be more aptly titled "the historical bottleneck of microbial repertoire in humans". Again i find the material somewhat repetitive. Maybe the author wants to make this book ultra-readable, maybe I'm just type A, it's not deep 2nough nor fast 2nough for me, my bad.
From Ch. 6 o...more
Just as companies like Google have created a "global nervous system", Nathan Wolfe's goal is to create a "global immune system" through his company, Global Viral Forecasting. The Viral Storm is a journey from the very beginnings of humanity to today. It outlines our relationships with viruses along the way, and the ways in which it has led to the conditions for a perfect viral storm. In the coming age of pandemics we must do everything we can to stop the spread of disease, and GVF is the way to...more
Really well written book on viruses/pandemics. I'm not a science lover, but it was fascinating. I also was afraid it'd just be fear mongering, but not at all. Saying that, his analogy between the 1918 flu pandemic and now was a little frightening in that that pandemic killed 3% of the world's population in a year, can you imagine how quickly/widely something like that would travel in today's society.
I enjoyed this book and it really informed me on a lot of the contemporary issues and solutions; however, I found that he tended to be a bit repetitive, especially if you have educational background in epidemiology or virology. I would suggest this to people to read though! It's a great way to educate yourself and understand the differences in microbial life throughout the world, as well as the huge impact that these viruses and bacteria can have for us.
9/2012 Supposedly written for non-scientists, I ended up skimming through most of scientific explanations, the generous credit given to other scientists, and the elaborate descriptions of the author’s own background and scientific exploits. I enjoyed the interesting information on pandemics, animal/human organ transplants, and virus research. Yikes! Our world seems to be ripe for a major pandemic.
I may just be Nathan Wolfe's biggest groupie. I first heard about this book and Wolfe's work with the Global Virus Forecasting Initiative (GVFI) through a TED talk. The science and field work presented in this text is not only a compelling read, but inspiring to public health professionals like myself in seeing the confluence of research and community outreach!
Plenty of good and interesting information, but written at too "general audience" level for me. He's definitely repetitive and self-promoting, but this does not take away (too much) from a fascinating subject. I did learn some pretty cool things that are being done to try and track the newly emerging viruses and pandemics.
Less provocative than the title would lead you to believe, this book basically is a primer for the microbial world and how viruses jump from one species to another and within species. Probably more fun than your microbiology textbook, laced with anecdotes about chimp research in Africa, etc., but not for those looking for an exciting read about why bird flu will kill us all.
An absolutely fascinating book, The Viral Storm is a must-read for anyone who is concerned about the spread of disease and threat of pandemics in the modern age.
Wolfe brings highly scientific information to the masses in a well-written and easily understandable narrative. I was enthralled by how much I learned from this book. Through his descriptions of various microbes, from bacterium to viruses to prions, and the research he describes being done to identify new viruses, Wolfe exposes the need...more
Wolfe brings highly scientific information to the masses in a well-written and easily understandable narrative. I was enthralled by how much I learned from this book. Through his descriptions of various microbes, from bacterium to viruses to prions, and the research he describes being done to identify new viruses, Wolfe exposes the need...more
Jul 10, 2012
Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Snail in Danger (Sid) by:
spotted in the library
Shelves:
science
Pretty interesting but not overwhelming, if you are already somewhat interested in viruses. Probably just an okay introduction to the subject if you don't already know much about it.
Also there were some usage errors that an editor should have caught. Like not knowing the difference between flair and flare, and an incorrect possessive plural (virus's instead of viruses') early on.
Also there were some usage errors that an editor should have caught. Like not knowing the difference between flair and flare, and an incorrect possessive plural (virus's instead of viruses') early on.
Very interesting, everyone should read to be aware of all the micro-drama going on around (or in) us everyday. I particularly appreciated his efforts to explain how viruses operate-the comparison to reading Eliot's "Wasteland" was inspired!
This book was.....interesting. A fun (and scary) non-fiction to read for distopian fans.
I picked this book up at the library mostly due to my growing need to educate myself of possible outbreaks. I've been reading so many distopians, that I'm beginning to wander if I should start stock piling canned food. Maybe the zombies are coming...I don't know. However, when I saw this book on the shelf, I thought there might be a slight chance something crazy happens to this world.
I picked this book up at the library mostly due to my growing need to educate myself of possible outbreaks. I've been reading so many distopians, that I'm beginning to wander if I should start stock piling canned food. Maybe the zombies are coming...I don't know. However, when I saw this book on the shelf, I thought there might be a slight chance something crazy happens to this world.
I normally love this kind of book but found I couldn't get into this one. The author seemed a little overly impressed with himself and it moved slowly. I couldn't stay interested enough to finish it.
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