The struggle against deadly microbes is endless. Diseases that have plagued human beings since ancient times still exist, new maladies like SARS... read full description
reviews
May 27, 2009
Kate
rated it: 
When Germs Travel takes a look at 6 epidemics: bubonic plague, typhus, trachoma, HIV, tuberculosis and cholera that arose in the US in the past century or so. If you read a lot of medical history, much of the information will be old news. What may not be, however, is Markel's analysis of the role that immigrants have played in bringing illness across national boundaries, and more importantly, how much undeserved blame is laid at their feet when epidemics do strike. Markel is a fine writer; he is
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Feb 18, 2011
Kelly
rated it: 
Man am I a sucker for a microhistory; chalk it up to the insatiable consumption of knowledge.
Apr 19, 2008
winona
rated it: 
It's not as nail-biting as the title would have you believe. Interesting stuff, particularly the bits on disease etiology and progression, albeit kinda dry.
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