Pale Ride by Laura Spinney

Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World by Laura Spinney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've read a few books about the 1918 flu this year, and this was an excellent overview ofthe history, science, and changing culture of the time. It was entertaining, well-written, and not overly dark considering the topic.

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The Great Influenza by John M. Barry

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book would have been great if it had had serious editing. The first 13 chapters are background on a number of scientists who fail to capture the imagination -- probably because he simply covers too many of them. In chapter 14, Barry finally starts to write about the pandemic, and by the time you're halfway through the book, the information is basically over. The rest is just a rehash of what you've read. However, the second quarter of the book was very interesting.

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