The World Economic Forum #1 book to read for context on the
coronavirus outbreak
This sweeping
exploration of the impact of epidemic diseases looks at how mass
infectious outbreaks have shaped society, from the Black Death to
today, and in a new preface addresses the global threat of COVID-19.
In a clear and accessible style, Frank M. Snowden reveals the ways
that diseases have not only influenced medical science and public
health, but also transformed the arts, religion, intellectual
history, and warfare.
A multidisciplinary
and comparative investigation of the medical and social history of
the major epidemics, this volume touches on themes such as the
evolution of medical therapy, plague literature, poverty, the
environment, and mass hysteria. In addition to providing historical
perspective on diseases such as smallpox, cholera, and tuberculosis,
Snowden examines the fallout from recent epidemics such as HIV/AIDS,
SARS, and Ebola and the question of the world’s preparedness for
the next generation of diseases.