The Great Influenza

The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History

By: John M. Barry

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 19 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

In the winter of 1918, at the height of World War I, history's most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in 24 weeks than AIDS has killed in 24 years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision between modern science and epidemic disease.

Magisterial in its breadth of perspective and depth of research, The Great Influenza weaves together multiple narratives, with characters ranging from William Welch, founder of the Johns Hopkins Medical School, to John D. Rockefeller and Woodrow Wilson. Ultimately a tale of triumph amid tragedy, this crisis provides us with a precise and sobering model as we confront the epidemics looming on our own horizon.

©2004, 2005 John M. Barry (P)2006 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Monumental...powerfully intelligent...not just a masterful narrative...but also an authoritative and disturbing morality tale." (Chicago Tribune)

"Easily our fullest, richest, most panoramic history of the subject." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Hypnotizing, horrifying, energetic, lucid prose...." (Providence Observer)

Complicated, but interesting

Please understand that I teach at the elementary level in a specialized field and am not completely focused on scientific "stuff". I'm a history buff. So on the one hand, I really enjoyed listening about the era when the flu epidemic hit. Learning about how the flu spread as fast as it did and how it can affect our population in this day and time was interesting and scary. The scientists of that era were dedicated people and I did not realize how much technology was available to them at that time. I didn't realize that the Wilson administration was in kind of a "witch hunt" mode and how much information was suppressed--as well as how many people were (think McCarthyism). But the technical information was too much for me. Try as I might, I tended to drift off during those times. But the book was interesting. I got something out of it, so that's worth it to me.

Still relevant

What made the experience of listening to The Great Influenza the most enjoyable?

I can do other things while I listen. Mostly I listen to books on long road trips.

Who was your favorite character and why?

NA

What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?

I liked the reader. He was quick, clear and read as if he were talking to me.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It scared me because there is a possibility of a pandemic even today and we would be faced with the same difficulties.

Any additional comments?

Everyone interested in medical science and its clinical applications should read this book to see how far we haven't come.

The Great Indluenza

Excellent overview of the time and the pandemic. Lots of history not just dry facts.

What would happen today?

I enjoyed this book. Although slightly too long with too many side stories it does a great job describing an episode in American history that few people know much about. I am a fan of apocalypse novels, and this was even more frightening because it was true. If you want to read about the impacts that a major influenza epidemic would have, this is a great place to start. It was even more interesting because one of the major "hot zones" was Fort Devens, MA which is only a few miles from where I live.

Besides the story of the influenza outbreak, it is also a story about the ultimate stupidity of elected officials. Knowing that the outbreak was serious, they kept shipping soldiers in tightly packed troop ships to the WWI killing fields of France. Many did not make the transit.

In the days of instant communication, I am not sure that we could repeat this. At least I would hope so.

Scott Brick, as usual does a great job at narration.

So in summary if you like "end of the world" fiction (The Stand, The Passage), you will like this as well.

Excellent, book of the decade

In my opinion, best book of the decade and so important in this time of malignant lies and corruption by persons in the highest positions of power in our world. Barry details the history of scientific thought and research and then the art science of toxic political propaganda. Detailing from many angles how viruses spread and kill and highly technical, though written for most to understand. I have a medical background and so was riveted by this information. Easy enough to understand for the layperson, and very highly recommend for, if nothing else, how Barry meticulously illuminates the power of governments and persons in power to outright lie and directly influence a populace to the point of death and utter destruction.

4.5 stars- detailed and organized. Loved it!

4.5 stars

What a great book- very detailed, sometimes so detailed I lost the people within the story. I learned pieces of where the 1918 flu came from and where it travelled. Interesting that time was wasted on testing ineffective and inaccurate treatments- while they spent so much time testing ineffective treatments for covid-19. The afterward was written years ago, but could have been written based on notes of issues that have happened with this pandemic

The First Pandemic

The narrator was very good as he keeps your interest
Which can be difficult considering the content of the book.

I liked learning about all the different viruses but not everyone would
Like to hear that.

It is really long. I think the Author could have edited and shortened the book.

Stunningly prescient.

A must read for anyone interested in medicine or public policy. Thoroughly researched and remarkably accessible to the laymen.

Exceptional in 2020

The book was written a decade before the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. However, the observations and political inaction noted in the 1918 pandemic are near uniformly followed in 2020. Historical events affecting government responses in 1918 are thorough, unbiased, and helpful for greater understanding. An impressive book that I have shared widely.

Amazingly Timely

I read this book a few years ago, and given the current state of the world (COVID-19) I went back and re-listened. Wow - amazing how many parallels there are to the current situation and how predictive this book was. Scott Brick is one of my favorite narrators so that was a bonus. Great book and great performance.