Finally done! This comprehensive book about the pandemic of 1918 has everything: military intrigue, sweeping sickness, politics, science...an excellent read, even though it took me forever. A great add to my biohazard library. ( )

Not bad, although I'd have preferred more on the epidemic itself and less hagiography of American men of letters. ( )

gripping book ( )

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry earned its reputation as an authoritative book about one of the world's great catastrophes of all times, the 1918-20 Spanish Flu pandemic. For reasons that are obvious it is quite timely now.

The Spanish Flu has been overshadowed in history by the violent end to WW I, then known as The Great War. WW I upended the long-prevailing history of Europe, ending all of its great monarchies and empires save the British Empire. The Spanish Flu, in parallel fashion but for more temporarily upended life in the U.S.

Similar to the current Covid-19 pandemic, the disease sewed panic. The author suggests that the panic was fueled by the efforts of the various governments to minimize it. I think the author's hypothesis is well-reasoned and strongly researched. Also, in light of the reaction to the novel Coronavirus the level of media and government attention has been, at best, a mixed blessing.

Turning from my own historical analysis to the book, it was gripping. I read the 461 pages in about twelve days. Some of the other reviewers of the books have justifiable quibbles. The prevailing one is weak editing. It was too repetitive. The literary device of repeating the last words of a previous sentence was overused. My own criticism is that the book was too often written out of chronological order. This may have been needed to give faithful mini-biographies of leading scientists and other players.

That is why I am giving the book a "four" rather than "five" on Goodreads. I highly recommend it; but beware, certain stretches may make a calm sleep afterwards difficult. ( )

Good book on the big pandemic 1918, at the end of World War One. Pretty horrific stories about disease and death all over the world and especially in America. Seems appropriate to read right now. There was a lot of misinformation back then, like today. It was also on the beginnings of modern medical science, and that part was slow reading for me, but it is worthwhile. Never actually pinned down the exact virus--could have been a combination. Scary. Today's Covid 19 does not seem quite as bad. ( )