Panic in Level 4

Cannibals, Killer Viruses, and Other Journeys to the Edge of Science

By: Richard Preston

Narrated by: James Lurie

Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Bizarre illnesses and plagues that kill people in the most unspeakable ways. Obsessive and inspired efforts by scientists to solve mysteries and save lives. From The Hot Zone to The Demon in the Freezer and beyond, Richard Preston's best selling works have mesmerized readers everywhere by showing them strange worlds of nature they never dreamed of.

Panic in Level 4 is a grand tour through the eerie and unforgettable universe of Richard Preston, filled with incredible characters and mysteries that refuse to leave one's mind. Here are dramatic true stories from this acclaimed and award-winning author, including:

The phenomenon of "self-cannibals", who suffer from a rare genetic condition caused by one wrong letter in their DNA that forces them to compulsively chew their own flesh - and why everyone may have a touch of this disease.

The search for the unknown host of Ebola virus, an organism hidden somewhere in African rain forests, where the disease finds its way into the human species, causing outbreaks of unparalleled horror.

The brilliant Russian brothers - "one mathematician divided between two bodies" - who built a supercomputer in their apartment from mail-order parts in an attempt to find hidden order in the number pi (�).

In fascinating, intimate, and exhilarating detail, Richard Preston portrays the frightening forces and constructive discoveries that are currently roiling and reordering our world, once again proving himself a master of the nonfiction narrative and, as noted in The Washington Post, "a science writer with an uncommon gift for turning complex biology into riveting page-turners".

©2008 Richard Preston (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

Needs to be shorter

First of all, several of these stories have been in the New Yorker already, so if you read The New Yorker, you may be disappointed that the stories are not new. I agree with the other reader reviewers that all the stories go on far too long and I lost interest with all the detail.

Prolly not worth it.

This is a compendium of richard’s experiences interviewing his subjects. The equivalent of a behind the scenes making of his other works. Honestly unless you’re a die hard Hot Zone fan, I’d prolly give this a pass. The exciting information regarding genome sequencing and Ebola are out of date now too

Wow

Don't let the negative reviews sway you. If you're curious, interested in science and the macabre, this will interest you. As reviewers have, this is a set of essays from the New Yorker magazine and there is no running theme. But they are all excellent and held my interest more than about 75% of books I listen to.

Not What I Expected

Thank God this Audiobook wasn’t my first because it would have been my last. This book was not at all what I expected from Richard Preston. I read Hot Zone and Demon in the Freezer and those were real page turners. This one reads like a college dissertation. There is only a few parts that mention viruses. The rest is filled with discussion on the computation of Pi and the super computer used. Don’t waste your time, credits, and for Gods sake don’t spend your money on this book.

Ignore the Title

The book does not match the title. This is not the same kind of story as The Demon in the Freezer or The Hot Zone. It should be called other generally interesting stuff written by Richard Preston in his narrative style. That said, as a science geek I enjoyed the book, but if you are looking for more scary virus stuff based on some of his other writings this may not be exactly what you want.

loved it

I absolutely loved this book. If you loved science mathematics and the human experience this is the book that you need to listen to!

Terribley interesting stories!!

A great set of well researched stories from a thorough journalist... I loved it!

decent but skip it

if you're looking for another Hot Zone or Demon in the Freezer, this isn't it. Save your money/credits and buy something else. The stories weren't bad, just not great.

Marvelous Tales from the Trade

I have always founf myself transfixed by the works of Richard Preston. The Hot Zone and Demon in the Freezer scared me witless. This time, Mr. Preston has thrown some of his research data together into a type of short story format. Mr. Preston begins with the familiar Ebola virus and what he had to do to learn enough about it to write a book as frightening as Hot Zone. The he shifts gears and talks about two brothers and their obsession with the mystical number Pi. This is a wonderful tale of determination. From their you go on a journey in the woods of the Eastern US to discover how such very tiny insects and fungi are wiping out some of the largest trees in North America. Then there is the tale of how many became millionares while working on the human genome project, only to lose it all in only a few days. The last is my favorite. The tale of the Lesh-Nyhan syndrom. If you like reading about viral conditions, molecular studies, genetic mapping and very small numbers, give this book a listen. I find it well worth the time and the money. Thank you Mr. Preston!

Could put you to sleep

Downloaded at the suggestion of a friend who loved it, but he works with infectious diseases so it makes sense. The voice could put you to sleep, so there's that. His accents are terribly offensive and I feel the story has no point. It goes from Ebola, to pi, to cannibals...very very random and not worth a second listen.