May 2020 - Flu

[Betsy, co-mod]

Our book club selection for May 2020 is Flu: The Story Of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It by Gina Kolata.

Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

[Betsy, co-mod]

The wait time for the ebook at my library is about 22 weeks! They only have two copies. I may have to give up and buy this one.

[Betsy, co-mod]

I just finished this book. It was very good, if a little frustrating. Here is my review.

[Camelia Rose]

Interesting. I wonder how similar it is to The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, which is what I am reading right now.

[Betsy, co-mod]

Camelia Rose wrote: "Interesting. I wonder how similar it is to The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, which is what I am reading right now."

One of my other friends on GR read it and said it's pretty dry and doesn't cover much about the epidemiology. I'm considering reading it anyway. Just because it's more recent than the Kolata book.

[JZ]

It's interesting to read the entry on Wikipedia on the Spanish Flu of 1918.

I think that it isn't a bad thing to have an epidemic once every hundred years. The deaths here on the island have all been from the 'rest home.'

After having been there for a while, I'd be one who'd welcome that release. It was hell living there. I was young, (well, younger than most) semi-able, and escaped, AMA, because I'd rather be dead than there.

Just sayin'. Walk a mile in my shoes.

[Camelia Rose]

I just finished The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History. A lot of information, a lot of US politics, and very very dry. My review

Not sure if I'd read the Kolata book. It's a heavy topic. I feel I need to take my mind off it for awhile.

[Betsy, co-mod]

Camelia Rose wrote: "Not sure if I'd read the Kolata book. It's a heavy topic. I feel I need to take my mind off it for awhile."

The Kolata book is not too dry and really not that heavy. It's more about the scientists in the 1990s seeking the cause and epidemiology of the virus. Reads somewhat like a detective story. However, I can certainly understand needing a palate cleanser after reading the Barry book.

[Camelia Rose]

Betsy wrote: "Camelia Rose wrote: "Not sure if I'd read the Kolata book. It's a heavy topic. I feel I need to take my mind off it for awhile."

The Kolata book is not too dry and really not that heavy. It's more..."

The Barry book does not mention what scientists did in 1990s. I probably will read the Kolata book later.

[Betsy, co-mod]

Has anyone read Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World? It was published in 2017, so it may be more up to date than Kolata, and it sounds like it might be less dry than Barry.

[Steve]

I'm currently reading the chapter about the 1976 swine flu vaccination fiasco that resulted in thousands of lawsuits. I'm starting to understand why the health experts are proceeding slowly on a vaccine for Covid19. Although we now hear that a group in Oxford is talking about having something by this Fall.

[A.]

Had a look for the May 2020 book Flu by Gina. Kolata'. Am I correct in thinking this book is out of print? In a preliminary search I could only find secondhand copies for sale costing £67 -£100.

[David]

A. wrote: "Had a look for the May 2020 book Flu by Gina. Kolata'. Am I correct in thinking this book is out of print? In a preliminary search I could only find secondhand copies for sale costing £67 -£100."

You are correct, A. I did find it available for $25 at Oxford Academic. But unfortunately, this book is really only available as a Kindle version for a reasonable price. It is not available at my local library. In retrospect, I think we should not have allowed this book into our poll. Sorry about that!

[Betsy, co-mod]

You're right. I probably saw that it was available from Amazon in various formats, but I didn't check the prices or sources. Sorry about that.

[A.]

That's okay. I'm keen to get onto Origins: How Earth's History Shaped Human History. month's anyway (that was my preferred choice).

[Steve]

I've always wondered what the H and N stood for:

"It is those two viral proteins, the hemagglutinin and the neuraminidase, that define a flu strain, and scientists began naming strains....."

H1N1 swept the world in 1946. When the virus makes a dramatic change in those proteins is when pandemics occur.

[Steve]

Sorry to hear the book is out of print. It is interesting and relevant. Here's a quote that illustrates the old adage about those who don't study history.

Virologist Edwin Kilbourne said in 1976: "Whenever pandemic influenza next appears, we must improve upon our well-intentioned but uncoordinated efforts of the past that have resulted in ambiguous advice to the public and inadequate production and maldistribution of vaccine."

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Camelia Rose wrote: "Interesting. I wonder how similar it is to The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, which is what I am reading right now."

I found Flu a lot better; it didn't take 40% of the book to get to the actual epidemic.

[Camelia Rose]

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Camelia Rose wrote: "Interesting. I wonder how similar it is to The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, which is what I am reading right now."

I found Flu..." Thank you Susanna.

[Kirsten]

I've put in a request for this. I read the John Barry book years ago and enjoyed it very much. It really opened up a part of American history I had not heard of.

[Carrie]

This is sitting on the library hold shelf waiting for me, and has been since March 13 when they shut down the city. I plan to read it whenever the library starts loaning physical books again!