A Shot to Save the World

The Inside Story of the Life-or-Death Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine

By: Gregory Zuckerman

Narrated by: Jack Armstrong

Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

"An inspiring and informative page-turner." (Walter Isaacson)

Longlisted for the FT/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award

The authoritative account of the race to produce the vaccines that are saving us all, from the number one New York Times best-selling author of The Man Who Solved the Market.

Few were ready when a mysterious respiratory illness emerged in Wuhan, China, in January 2020. Politicians, government officials, business leaders, and public-health professionals were unprepared for the most devastating pandemic in a century. Many of the world’s biggest drug and vaccine makers were slow to react or couldn’t muster an effective response.

It was up to a small group of unlikely and untested scientists and executives to save civilization. A French businessman dismissed by many as a fabulist. A Turkish immigrant with little virus experience. A quirky Midwesterner obsessed with insect cells. A Boston scientist employing questionable techniques. A British scientist despised by his peers. Far from the limelight, each had spent years developing innovative vaccine approaches. Their work was met with skepticism and scorn. By 2020, these individuals had little proof of progress. Yet they and their colleagues wanted to be the ones to stop the virus holding the world hostage. They scrambled to turn their life’s work into life-saving vaccines in a matter of months, each gunning to make the big breakthrough - and to beat each other for the glory that a vaccine guaranteed.

A number one New York Times best-selling author and award-winning Wall Street Journal investigative journalist lauded for his “bravura storytelling” (Gary Shteyngart) and “first-rate” reporting (The New York Times), Zuckerman takes us inside the top-secret laboratories, corporate clashes, and high-stakes government negotiations that led to effective shots. Deeply reported and endlessly gripping, this is a dazzling, blow-by-blow chronicle of the most consequential scientific breakthrough of our time. It’s a story of courage, genius, and heroism. It’s also a tale of heated rivalries, unbridled ambitions, crippling insecurities, and unexpected drama. A Shot to Save the World is the story of how science saved the world.

©2021 Gregory Zuckerman (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"One of the most exciting dramas in medical history... A Shot to Save the World is a thrilling account based on great reporting and access to all of the teams. An inspiring and informative page-turner." --Walter Isaacson, author of #1 New York Times bestseller, The Code Breaker

"A page-turning drama...Brings you inside the room of the largest drug makers to give readers a birds-eye view of the big decisions and behind-the-scenes machinations that span from Washington to China." --Andrew Ross Sorkin, columnist, The New York Times, co-anchor of CNBC's Squawk Box

"Zuckerman answers a question still circulating among both vaccine fans and skeptics: How could scientists develop the Covid-19 vaccines so quickly? The vaccine-science book for a vaccine skeptic." --The New York Times“An intensely researched, rewarding account of an impressive medical triumph.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Great story

As a scientist, I thoroughly enjoyed the perspective of this story and found the scientific history fascinating. This book is for anyone interested in learning about vaccine development and challenges encountered in the field of life sciences.

Found this very interesting and would've loved to

Would've loved to have a sequel or longer book with an update. The narrator was very easy for me to listen to as well.

informative, insightful, inspiring

what a great book! There is a lot to learn about how the industry works and how old not new the mRNA technology is. Some dreadful insights into the Academic world and how hard it is to succeed and how competitive this field is. Even if you are not interested in the vaccines you should still read this because of the overall takeaway message: that success doesn't happen overnight but is the result of hard work, determination and believing in yourself even when everyone else has given up; that failure is not the end of the road but a bend in the road. Even if you've failed multiple times, never give up--this is the way of science. The author did a great job explaining basic science with simple metaphors so again, great book!

Fascinating story

Great telling of the science behind some of the Covid vaccines, but the narrator pronounces so many scientific terms incorrectly.

A must read

incredible narrative of the race to save humanity. It makes clear that the COVID 19 vaccines were in the making for decades.

Terrific read. Book of the year for me

The book is very well written and a page turner indeed. We owe our well being to the scientists who dedicated their lives for our survival.

Story of the heroes who developed and tested the vaccine in record time

Great journalism about the business competition to develop an effective vaccine against Covid. You will have a new appreciation for how difficult the process truly was. Thorough investigative journalism coupled with a compelling story make an entertaining book.

fascinating scientific review

well researched great balance of scientific details and character perspective for interested lay listeners

Gripping stories of Covid vaccines!

Gripping reports of the scientists and biotechnology companies found themselves in the battle against once in a hundred years of global pandemic!

Wow! Do not miss this one.

I have listened to hundreds of Audible books over the past 5 years, but this is the first time that I have ever written a review. However, I felt obligated to do so, since this was such a fantastically captivating read. If you a fan of popular science, non-fiction books then do not miss this one. It is written in a manner that is very engaging, almost like a fiction read. Although it covers the science in a fair amount of depth, it does so in a fashion that is accessible to the lat public. It tells the story of each of the key scientists and key business players that got us to the point where 5 different effective COVID vaccines were developed in such a short amount of time. The story starts with scientists working on the AIDS epidemic in the 80’s, which really gives great context to the how we got to where we are now in this field. There are frequent anecdotes and stories about each of these individuals that are told in a very personal way that really pulls you in and helps you to appreciate what an incredibly big deal this vaccine race truly was and why it has recently become considered by many to be the greatest achievement in modern science. I would say that the only disappointment for me was that there was so much personal background on everyone in the story, except for Anthony Fauci, who is mentioned numerous times but never with any sort of personal touches. I guess we have heard enough about him recently, anyway, though. This is the chance for the scientists that have not gotten enough credit by the lay public for the fantastic work that they have been doing to finally get the attention that they do greatly deserve.
Also, I just want to point out that the reviewer that mentioned that they were not sure if the author is pro or anti vaccination clearly missed the point of this book.