Members with This Book
Most Helpful Reviews
see all reviews
Liked It “Key book; precedes and goes into much further depth than Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel."” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
see all reviews-
“Key book; precedes and goes into much further depth than Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel."”
Daniel Zuma wrote this review Friday, August 14 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Plagues and Peoples is a strong and frihtening book that show the vulnerability of people to the plagues that have lasted through the ages. The book starts with the most recent and most destructive plague of HIV and AIDS in the last 40 years. Prior to the AIDS epidemic the flus and fevers that have taken millions of lives over thousands of years had the most effect on the growth of the human race. The strongest support to the vulnerability of the human race has is the erruption of the flu around 1918 which killed 50,000,000 people. The great plagues that errupted in the developemental settlements of Ancient China and Japan were the first noticably destructive which then spread through the world. Other Virus's like the bubonic plague that were spread around large cities by vermin needed very specific combinations to have the effect they did in society, the plague was so destructive due to its introduction to a 'virgin' population that through time had no resistance to the disease unlike other groups that have experienced all kinds of virus's and have some kind of possible growth capabilities under plague inductions. Todays world has a stronger variation in what kinds of people are resistant to diseases and the drugs that are available. The overall message of the book was to induce the capabilities or virus's and the importance they can and will have tot he overall human population.”
MACIEJ G wrote this review Tuesday, May 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“An eye-opening explanation of how disease has shaped history. Follow with "The Years of Rice and Salt" for a one-two punch.”
spock627corfu wrote this review Saturday, December 22 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book, some thirty years ago, sparked my interest in the history of diseases that have had major impact on humankind.
Bodrugan wrote this review Friday, November 16 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Perhaps the most eye-opening aspect, for me, was the correlation between the quick domination by the European colonizers over the native populations in the New World and the diseases the Europeans brought with them. It seems obvious enough now, but first, of course, somebody had to realize the connection.
McNeill tells, in a clear and entertaining way, the fascinating stories of three major diseases (smallpox, bubonic plague, and typhoid) that have changed man's history. I have gone on to read other accounts of diseases, but Plagues and Peoples remains one of my favorites.
”
Displaying 1-5 of 5
