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Flu

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Flu

By: Gina Kolata
Narrated by: Gina Kolata
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Buy for $11.25

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A national bestseller, the fast-paced and gripping account of the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918 from acclaimed science journalist Gina Kolata, now featuring a new epilogue about avian flu.

When we think of plagues, we think of AIDS, Ebola, anthrax spores, and, of course, the Black Death. But in 1918 the Great Flu Epidemic killed an estimated forty million people virtually overnight. If such a plague returned today, taking a comparable percentage of the US population with it, 1.5 million Americans would die.

In Flu, Gina Kolata, an acclaimed reporter for The New York Times, unravels the mystery of this lethal virus with the high drama of a great adventure story. From Alaska to Norway, from the streets of Hong Kong to the corridors of the White House, Kolata tracks the race to recover the live pathogen and probes the fear that has impelled government policy.

A gripping work of science writing, Flu addresses the prospects for a great epidemic’s recurrence and considers what can be done to prevent it.Executive Producer: Jacob Bronstein
Producer: Paul Ruben
Original Jacket Photograph and Design by Timothy Hsu
Sot Art Courtesy of NIBSC, Science Source/Photo Researches
Author Photograph by Sigrid Estrada
©1999 Gina Kolata
(P) Random House, Inc. Physical Illness & Disease 20th Century Modern Medicine Village Education Middle Ages

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Fascinating Scientific Content • Compelling Historical Context • Riveting Content • Detailed Research • Interesting Subject

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I ordered this book in spite of other reviewers' warnings about the "mushy" reading by the author, determined to remain objective. The story of the 1918 flu and its relationship to modern flu viruses is fascinating and important, as is the drama of competing scientists' investigations. The mystery is particularly interesting in light of recent dna discoveries about bird flu, now extant and threatening. As others mentioned, I was disappointed in the narrator's apparent lisp and also her tendency to over-dramatize facts and circumstances which are rivoting on their own. Still, I am glad I stuck with the book to the end. Having worked years ago for a scientist in a competitive university department, I appreciate how individual personalities, passions, and foibles can drive scientific efforts. For someone sufficiently interested in the subject, the narration problems can be endured.

Fascinating science; disappointing narration.

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Great story! I read this long before the SARS or anthrax event. This story is even more compelling in light of those tragedies. Good choice!

Flu

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Great look at the efforts by scientists throughout the 20th century to find the virus that caused the pandemic and is especially effective in exposing the problems scientists face from the media and the scientific establishment. This is not an audiobook that details how the disease affected the population, but more about ways to prevent it from recurring, and discovering its precedents.

My only critique is that no author should ever narrate his or her work. That is the job of a professional actor. The author, Gina Kolata, is no such actor. She narrates her own story with flat inflection and with a slight lisp. Nevertheless, the story is gripping for anyone interested in the science of the infection.

A Scientific Journalist's Look at the 1918 Flu

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Is there anything you would change about this book?

The Narrator

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flu?

The Narrator

What didn’t you like about Gina Kolata’s performance?

Her Narration

Do you think Flu needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Not read by this Narrator

Any additional comments?

Hire a professional to re-read this book and explain to the author that she should not seek a career in narration, that she should please stick to writing.

Good Story - MISERABLE Narrator

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This was an excellent review of the search for the 1918 influenza virus, read by the author. It includes understandable descriptions of how viruses work and details the discoveries and work of researchers who tracked down and sequenced the flu genes. I loved it.

Excellent Review

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