Description: Acceptable. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Anchor
Date Published: 1977
ISBN-13:9780385121224ISBN:0385121229
Description: Good. Used item may show library stamps, stickers and marks. Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Anchor Books
Date Published: 1976
ISBN-13:9780385121224ISBN:0385121229
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Cover shows light wear, spine uncreased, one page has vertical crease, last several pages have light corner crease, pages appear unmarked. read more
Edition: Stated First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Anchor Press/Doubleday, Garden City, New York
Date Published: 1976
ISBN-13:9780385112567ISBN:0385112564
Description: Good/very Good in Poor jacket. 5 1/2 X 8 1/2" Blue cover is faded and worn. Former owner; s name on top page edges. Extensive notes on front endpapers, some marginal markings in text, . Jacket has wear, tears, and bits missing, and has been mended with clear plastic film. read more
Description: GOOD. USED "1st Edition: -: Good x Library: -: x lib, mylar cover in good condition, marking on page edges, flep missing, binding a little loose. : -: " read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Anchor Press, New York
Date Published: 1976
ISBN-13:9780385112567ISBN:0385112564
Description: Near Fine in Very Good jacket. 8 1/2 h x 5 1/2w. A real nice clean unmarked 369 page 1976 hardcover from Anchor press. This popular history of plagues, disease, and epidemics shows their effect on world history. Confluence of the Civilized Disease Pools of Euroasia 500 BC-A.D.1200; The impact of the mongol Empire of shiting disease balances, 1200-1500; Transoceanic Exchanges, 1500-1700; The Ecological impact of Medical Science and Organization since 1700 with appendix, notes, index. read more
"Brilliant analysis on the role that microbes might have played in the shaping of human history. It is well thought out, well researched, and enjoyable to read (at least when if you dig that sort of subject). It is also a wonderful reminder that there are other forces at work influencing the past, present, and future of mankind aside from humans."
"Finally finished this book. It took me a while to read it due to personal stuff and the subject matter, but it ended up being one of my favorites (hence the labor of love category). It being a favorite is leading me to believe I have a soft spot for environmental history. Yes the book was much about epidemiology, but the focus was also very much on how certain diseases were possible within certain environments - how they got there, how they survived there, and how those environments were affected in the way of future outbreaks, food cultivation, population growth/ reduction, etc.
You will not get a lot of unknown facts about diseases from this book as the majority of the time periods addressed were prior to formal record keeping and disease identification. However, you will get a great exercise of the mind in the way of a priori thinking and cause and effect relationships. McNeil does a great job of showing us how the evidence that is available - evidence from sources such as religious writings, population records, and recent day archeological finds - can be constructed to shed light on when certain pandemics/epidemics broke out, what they more than likely were, how the specific viruses affected populations, how the human body reacted to the viruses over time, and how those viruses in return reacted to the human body.
Although this book's main subject is epidemiology, it is very similar (although a precursor) to books like Guns, Germs and Steel in that it addresses various macroparisitic and microparisitic effects on the growth of civilizatoins. However, its focus on diseases makes it particularly interesting and provides a sort of mental anchor when thinking about the multitude of variables that has shaped our world. Yes, I can appreciate that after reading this book I am now more aware of the major viruses/diseases that affected our history, but more than anything, that ebb and flow thinking of how the big picture comes to be is more concreted in my mind. And this is the book's greatest value to me."
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