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Field Notes #4
On the Origin of the Deadliest Pandemic in 100 Years: An Investigation - Library Edition
In this compulsive whodunnit, Elaine Dewar reads the science, follows the money, and connects the geopolitical interests to the spin.
When the first TV newscast described a SARS-like flu affecting a distant Chinese metropolis, investigative journalist Elaine Dewar started asking questions: Was SARS-CoV-2 something that came from nature, as leading scientists insisted, or did it come from a lab, and what role might controversial experiments have played in its development? Why was Wuhan the pandemic’s ground zero—and why, on the other side of the Atlantic, had two researchers been marched out of a lab in Winnipeg by the RCMP? Why were governments so slow to respond to the emerging pandemic, and why, now, is the government of China refusing to cooperate with the World Health Organization? And who, or what, is DRASTIC?
Locked down in Toronto with the world at a standstill, Dewar pored over newspapers and magazines, preprints and peer-reviewed journals, email chains and blacked-out responses to access to information requests; she conducted Zoom interviews and called telephone numbers until someone answered as she hunted down the truth of the virus’s origin. In this compulsive whodunnit, she reads the science, follows the money, connects the geopolitical interests to the spin—and shows how leading science journals got it wrong, leaving it to interested citizens and junior scientists to pull out the truth.
Praise for On the Origin
“Before I read this book, I thought the Wuhan lab leak hypothesis was just a wild conspiracy. Elaine Dewar makes a very strong case that it may well be true. She even goes farther, showing scientists are often sloppy with hazardous biological materials, that they engage in naive research with some dubious government actors, and, when caught, dodge responsibility by smearing their critics as enemies of science.” —Mark Bourrie, author of Bush Runner: The Adventures of Pierre-Esprit Radisson
Praise for Elaine Dewar
“Dewar is justly well known for her relentless research and we are fortunate to have her.”—Philip Marchand, National Post
“Dewar is a keen observer of place and personality.”—Publishers Weekly
When the first TV newscast described a SARS-like flu affecting a distant Chinese metropolis, investigative journalist Elaine Dewar started asking questions: Was SARS-CoV-2 something that came from nature, as leading scientists insisted, or did it come from a lab, and what role might controversial experiments have played in its development? Why was Wuhan the pandemic’s ground zero—and why, on the other side of the Atlantic, had two researchers been marched out of a lab in Winnipeg by the RCMP? Why were governments so slow to respond to the emerging pandemic, and why, now, is the government of China refusing to cooperate with the World Health Organization? And who, or what, is DRASTIC?
Locked down in Toronto with the world at a standstill, Dewar pored over newspapers and magazines, preprints and peer-reviewed journals, email chains and blacked-out responses to access to information requests; she conducted Zoom interviews and called telephone numbers until someone answered as she hunted down the truth of the virus’s origin. In this compulsive whodunnit, she reads the science, follows the money, connects the geopolitical interests to the spin—and shows how leading science journals got it wrong, leaving it to interested citizens and junior scientists to pull out the truth.
Praise for On the Origin
“Before I read this book, I thought the Wuhan lab leak hypothesis was just a wild conspiracy. Elaine Dewar makes a very strong case that it may well be true. She even goes farther, showing scientists are often sloppy with hazardous biological materials, that they engage in naive research with some dubious government actors, and, when caught, dodge responsibility by smearing their critics as enemies of science.” —Mark Bourrie, author of Bush Runner: The Adventures of Pierre-Esprit Radisson
Praise for Elaine Dewar
“Dewar is justly well known for her relentless research and we are fortunate to have her.”—Philip Marchand, National Post
“Dewar is a keen observer of place and personality.”—Publishers Weekly
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Published March 5, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 17, 2022
I really wanted to like this book, it came with endorsements from people whose opinion and assessments I respect. The story of how SARS-COVIDII (COVID19) came to be and how it became the worst pandemic in 100 years is an important one for a lot of reasons.
The problem with this book boils down to one thing; tone. If you're writing a serious book your tone needs to be serious. In this book scientists work in labs to 'whomp things up' or 'gin things up'. Xi Jinping is China's 'viral Napoleon'. A Chinese scientist central to the story is 'Bat Woman' (maybe the Chinese media named her that? Who knows.) And on and on it goes.
* spoilers ahead *
There is a serious and credible message to this book, but you have to chew through about 400 pages of snark to get to it. Even with that some aspects of that message are problematic; there's an implication that China developed the virus as a bio-weapon, possibly to cripple western economies. Given how integrated China's trade markets and financial markets are into western economies, and how dependent China is on continuous growth, this type conspiracy does not make sense. Bio-weapons like viruses are inherently unpredictable and hard to manage, the PLA knows this. Dewar and some others also believe the virus evolved from its' probable bat origins to being a devastating, transmissible human virus so fast a natural explanation is impossible. Possibly, but the 1918-1920 influenza virus evolved from an animal host into an incredibly lethal virus and no one engineered that. There is a defense here; all evidence of both these things are held by China, and they're revealing nothing and won't let anyone investigate to any meaningful depth.
There are also serious warning messages about what is being done in viral research labs around the world, but again, you have to wade through snark to get to them.
There is a book out there that tells the story of where COVID 19 came from, this isn't it.
The problem with this book boils down to one thing; tone. If you're writing a serious book your tone needs to be serious. In this book scientists work in labs to 'whomp things up' or 'gin things up'. Xi Jinping is China's 'viral Napoleon'. A Chinese scientist central to the story is 'Bat Woman' (maybe the Chinese media named her that? Who knows.) And on and on it goes.
* spoilers ahead *
There is a serious and credible message to this book, but you have to chew through about 400 pages of snark to get to it. Even with that some aspects of that message are problematic; there's an implication that China developed the virus as a bio-weapon, possibly to cripple western economies. Given how integrated China's trade markets and financial markets are into western economies, and how dependent China is on continuous growth, this type conspiracy does not make sense. Bio-weapons like viruses are inherently unpredictable and hard to manage, the PLA knows this. Dewar and some others also believe the virus evolved from its' probable bat origins to being a devastating, transmissible human virus so fast a natural explanation is impossible. Possibly, but the 1918-1920 influenza virus evolved from an animal host into an incredibly lethal virus and no one engineered that. There is a defense here; all evidence of both these things are held by China, and they're revealing nothing and won't let anyone investigate to any meaningful depth.
There are also serious warning messages about what is being done in viral research labs around the world, but again, you have to wade through snark to get to them.
There is a book out there that tells the story of where COVID 19 came from, this isn't it.
November 20, 2021
Just the information to form your own conclusion.
Or “withheld and redacted information “.
How did the virus morph to the level of Genius so fast,,,,,,, ?
Disturbing that it is covered up by all the super powers in the World. They don’t want us to know what we are accomplice’s in. It will happen again.
Or “withheld and redacted information “.
How did the virus morph to the level of Genius so fast,,,,,,, ?
Disturbing that it is covered up by all the super powers in the World. They don’t want us to know what we are accomplice’s in. It will happen again.
Read
January 20, 2022Dogged independent Canadian writer tracks down the story of why two Chinese scientists were frogmarched out of a Winnipeg laboratory by the RCMP in 2019. She also investigates the origins of covid 19 specifically whether it came from nature or a Chinese lab. Largely her investigation is done by reading dense scientific papers because most people she contacts aren't helpful or won't talk. She educates herself on the complex business of synthesizing viruses and much else but keeps the scientific talk for the most part comprehensible to the layman. Everybody comes off badly by her reckoning; the lax Canadian government, highly esteemed scientific journals, scientists who put loyalty to ties with China above the truth but nobody deserves more censure than the Chinese government who started covering up what happened from the very beginning and are still at it. Very worthwhile.
May 8, 2022
Dewar goes deep in her investigation into the origin of COViD-19. She explores the science and what may have happened based on publicly available records and weaves together a compelling whodunnit.
There is so much chicanery that happened and there are so many facts, that it’s hard to keep it all straight. But the book is definitely worth a read.
I went in with my own opinion, but based on the circumstantial evidence, my opinion has changed.
We may never know the truth, but we can come closer thanks to work like this.
There is so much chicanery that happened and there are so many facts, that it’s hard to keep it all straight. But the book is definitely worth a read.
I went in with my own opinion, but based on the circumstantial evidence, my opinion has changed.
We may never know the truth, but we can come closer thanks to work like this.
October 8, 2022
This was an interesting read, but I am only giving it 3/5, because it felt more like homework reading than enjoyment reading. I agree that the theory of the lab leak is a strong idea, but reading a 400 page information dense book only made me tired of reading about the idea.
This book is definitely well researched, and I learned from it. I recommend it if you're looking for an information heavy book.
This book is definitely well researched, and I learned from it. I recommend it if you're looking for an information heavy book.
May 15, 2022
Fascinating. It’s definitely a slog in some parts where it gets granular about genetics and experiments but bang on for criticizing lack of government accountability in Canada and the farce that is Access to Information laws.
October 18, 2021
A must read. It confirmed my "gut" feelings!
November 25, 2021
4.5 stars.
January 26, 2022
Miss Marple in Lockdown! Whoaaaaa! I will excuse all the weird old-fangled beat reporter xenophobia 'cause, O Lord, I suppose it's part of the act.
November 6, 2023
Very well researched.
January 16, 2022
Great long piece of investigative journalism that takes the Covid-19 lab leak theory, which was widely touted as a conspiracy theory, and provides solid backing for it. Highly recommend.
October 27, 2021
Aside from the the topic of the book; which is fascinating, the quality of the writing is outstanding; like reading a suspense novel.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews