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15 items

• The Chimp and the River

  How AIDS Emerged From An African Forest

  Quammen, David, 1948-

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  This book explores how HIV likely crossed from chimpanzees to humans, sparking the global AIDS epidemic. Blending science and storytelling, Quammen reveals how one small event in nature reshaped human history.

• Virus

  Roossinck, Marilyn J.,

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  Through vivid writing and striking images, Roossinck offers a fresh look at the hidden world of viruses, not just as agents of disease, but as vital and often beneficial parts of life on Earth.

• Everything Is Tuberculosis

  the History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection

  Green, John, 1977-

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  This book traces humanity’s long battle with TB, a disease that has shaped history and still claims lives today. It’s a powerful look at science, inequality, and our ongoing fight against an ancient infection.

• Pathogenesis

  a History of the World in Eight Plagues

  Kennedy, Jonathan,

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  This book reveals how eight major plagues shaped human history: toppling empires, sparking revolutions, and transforming societies. A striking reminder that history’s greatest forces may have been microscopic all along.

• The Great Influenza

  the True Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History

  Barry, John M., 1947-

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• The Great Mortality

  An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time

  Kelly, John, 1945-

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  The Black Death, the pandemic that wiped out nearly half of Europe in the 14th century. Blending gripping storytelling with historical detail, Kelly brings to life the fear, resilience, and upheaval of a world forever changed by one of history’s…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Air-borne

  the Hidden History of the Life We Breathe

  Zimmer, Carl, 1966-

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  Air-Borne explores the invisible world we inhale with every breath, revealing how the air around us connects life, spreads disease, and shapes human history. It’s a fascinating look at the hidden life within the air we share.

• A Planet of Viruses

  Zimmer, Carl, 1966-

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  Learn how viruses shape our world — from driving evolution to influencing ecosystems and human health. With clear, engaging storytelling, Zimmer shows that viruses aren’t just agents of disease but essential, ever-present forces in the story of life…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Rabid

  a Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus

  Wasik, Bill

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  "Rabid traces the chilling history of the virus behind the myth of the rabid dog—from ancient legends and vampire lore to modern science and global outbreaks. Wasik and Murphy weave together culture, medicine, and myth to show how one of nature’s…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Polio

  An American Story

  Oshinsky, David M., 1944-

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  This book recounts America’s battle against the polio epidemic and the race to develop a life-saving vaccine. It’s an inspiring story of fear, hope, and scientific triumph that changed public health forever.

• Pale Rider

  the Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World

  Spinney, Laura,

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• The Ghost Map

  the Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World

  Johnson, Steven, 1968-

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  Amid a deadly cholera outbreak in 19th-century London, a doctor and a clergyman uncovered how contaminated water was spreading the disease. Their groundbreaking discovery transformed public health, reshaped cities, and changed how we understand…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Ebola

  the Natural and Human History of a Deadly Virus

  Quammen, David, 1948-

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• Typhoid Fever

  a History

  Adler, Rich,

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• Infectious

  Pathogens and How We Fight Them

  Tregoning, John S.,

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  What happens when the body comes under assault from viruses and bacteria? What are the clever tools we use to defend ourselves? It’s as much about the science of illness as it is about the resilience and innovation of the human spirit.