Its been a while since the news was overrun with stories on the h7n9 bird flu but not so long ago the world health organization who and the chinese government were convincing folks not to panicyet. Porters pale horse, pale rider is set around the spanish flu pandemic in 1918 and focuses on a young woman falling in love with a soldier, as both influenza and world war i. Three nonfiction books about medicine a little blog of. Mar 10, 2020 they came like swallows by william maxwell. It coincided with the first world war, which often overshadows the pandemic in our collective memory. Above all else, though, for me, this is a book about love in its many manifestations. Jun 04, 2017 laura spinneys absorbing study of the 1918 spanish influenza, which killed almost 100 million people, should make us glad the nhs exists flu victims at fort riley, kansas in 1918. Everything you ought to know about the spanish flu pandemic of 1918, the deadliest in history and how it was tackled and its effect on the economy and lesson. Ironically, the dramatic global impact of the flu was. The spanish flu isnt well represented in the western literary canonin fact.
This prespanish flu classic is a great place to start. Novels set during the 1918 influenza epidemic reference. The art world during the spanish flu pandemic itravelwithart. The spanish flu strain killed its victims with a swiftness never seen before. What are some of the most well respected books about pandemics and perhaps in particular a about the 1918 spanish flue. Much of what has been written about the spanish flu tends to focus on the impact it had on western countries in the aftermath of the first world war but spinneys book is a refreshingly global. The 1918 spanish flu epidemic is now widely recognized as the most devastating disease outbreak in recorded history. Over 550,000 americans had died, and more than 50 million people worldwide were killed. People called it the spanish flu, but its innocuous name did not stop it killing twice as many as the great war itself, david papineau wrote in. Great nonfiction books about pandemics 1918 spanish flu. In onans work of fiction, a sickness ravages a town in the days.
But the death toll was absolutely enormous, and the virus made its way far beyond the countries actively involved in the conflict. Read my original post on the 1918 spanish flu pandemic. When the flu rampaged through spain, the spanish government publicly announced the epidemic. Curiously, flu lit has been going through a bit of a renaissance, with several novels situated amid the 1918 disaster the last town on earth, the romanov cross, a deathstruck year, this time of. Philadelphia, where the orphan collector is set, was a hot spot for the spanish flu. The spanish flu, also known as the 1918 flu pandemic, was an unusually deadly influenza pandemic caused by the h1n1 influenza a virus. Books you dont want to finish, books that have plot holes big enough to drive a train through, cringey young adult books about an. Everything you ought to know about the spanish flu pandemic of 1918,the deadliest in history and how it was tackled and its effect on the economy and lesson. The spanish flu of 1918 reshaped the world, leading to the loss of 50 million people, on the heels of 10 million dead from world war one. The story of the great influenza pandemic of 1918 and the search for the virus that caused it, by gina kolata. Spain was the first country struck by the flu that was not involved in world war i. The deadliest event of 1918 was not the continued fighting of wwi but the spanish flu, which affected one third of the worlds population, killing over 10% of its victims. Best books on flu and other devastating outbreaks the list includes nonfiction and fiction accounts of some horrendous outbreaks costing thousands of human lives.
The seminal novel about the 1918 flu pandemic was written by. Apr 12, 2020 when the flu rampaged through spain, the spanish government publicly announced the epidemic. The novel opens on september, 1918 when people flock to a liberty loan parade that promoted government bonds. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. Apr 23, 2018 five essential books about plagues and pandemics. The seminal novel about the 1918 flu pandemic was written. Im looking to expand my knowledge in this area what causes a pandemic, how difficult it is to contain etc, etc. A books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Why is the 1918 spanish flu which infected a third of the.
But instead of looking for good books or classic books we try and find terrible books to read together and then rant about. Ancestornews readers contributions to stories and reports of ancestors who perished during the 1918 spanish flu pandemic. The crowd, ignoring reports of the flus spread in other parts of the country and the need to take precautions, was estimated at 200,000 people. A new book about the pandemic of 1918 should inspire you. It is estimated that at least 50 million people died of this deadly flu. Reina james compares our response to covid19 to the reaction to the spanish flu in 1918. The spanish flu of 1918 and how it changed the world by. The spanishflu epidemic of 1918 reached virtually every country, killing so many people so quickly that some cities were forced to convert streetcars into hearses. Woodrow wilsons case of the flu, and how pandemics change. In october 1918, spanish flu left behind 40 million dead. To stay up to date with our latest releases, follow granta books on. The coronavirus and combatting global pandemics the new. Best books on flu and other devastating outbreaks books.
Fiction that involves the 1918 influenza epidemicpandemic also called the spanish flu that claimed the lives of 100 million people worldwide. This resurgence of interest in the flu during the 1930s may have been influenced by new developments in virology and influenza research. The spanish flu pandemic of 1918, the deadliest in history, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwideabout onethird of the planets populationand killed an estimated. While she and her family may have taken ill, no members of the alden or macdonald families died from the spanish flu.
Inside the swift, deadly history of the spanish flu pandemic. On the evening of april 3, 1919, in paris, president woodrow wilson began to cough. This deadly influenza infected around 500 million people, which was a quarter of the worlds population at the time. Read the spanish flu narrative and cultural identity in spain, 1918 by r. One out of every four americans had been infected by the time the spanish flu epidemic ran its course in 1919. Much of what has been written about the spanish flu tends to focus on the impact it had on western countries in the aftermath of the first world war but spinneys book is a. As my usual it is historical fiction during the time of wwi and the pandemic of spanish flu. My mom, when six years of age, was exposed to and contracted the 1918 spanish influenza at the time that pandemic killed so many people around the world. The 20 best pandemic books to read during coronavirus. It has been 100 years since the spanish flu pandemic. Bbc culture the plague writers who predicted today. The spanish flu of 1918 and how it changed the world by laura spinney probably isnt what most people consider to be cosy festive reading over christmas but it is somewhat seasonal. A new book about the pandemic of 1918 should inspire you to.
Alan keener wants to take steps to prevent its spread, but he is met with resistance from oldschool doctors who believe that the flu s deadliness is overblown and easily treated. The spanish flu pandemic of 1918, the deadliest in history, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwideabout onethird. Jan 14, 2018 three nonfiction books about medicine pale rider. An unbelievable true story of the 1918 great influenza pandemic that devastated the.
For readers interested in experiencing what life was like a century ago, as the 1918 influenza epidemic swept through the country, below are some works of fiction that are owned by booth library. Sep, 2018 for readers interested in experiencing what life was like a century ago, as the 1918 influenza epidemic swept through the country, below are some works of fiction that are owned by booth library. In the united states stories abounded of people waking up sick and dying on their way to work. Whats the best nonfiction book to read on the 1918 spanish. Porters pale horse, pale rider is set around the spanish flu pandemic in 1918 and focuses on a young woman falling in love with a soldier, as both influenza and world war i loom ominously.
Lasting from spring 1918 through spring or early summer 1919, it infected 500 million people about a third of the worlds population at the time. Arnolds grim compilation of accounts of the spanish flu that killed upwards of 100 million people in 191819 vividly evokes the tragedy. The flu, which was first recorded in march 1918, killed 50 to 100 million people by march 1920. My suggestion is to search for 1918 flu epidemic and spanish flu epidemic on amazons book search page. Wonderful piece about one of my all time favorite works of fiction. The spanish flu pandemic of 1918 gets relatively short shrift in the history books, especially compared to world war i, which helped create the crisis. Brown recounts the epic effort in the 1990s to resurrect and genetically decode the spanish flu, which, in addition to triggering concern that all this tinkering was creating superviruses, underscored influenzas elusiveness. These novels will take you back in time to reveal stories of family, survival, and personal strength. Since most people first heard about the flu from its attack on spain, it was named the spanish flu. Much of what has been written about the spanish flu tends to focus on the impact it had on western countries in the aftermath of the first world war but spinneys book. Books you dont want to finish, books that have plot holes big enough to drive a train through, cringey young adult books about an 18 year old marry suechosen one, books where the main character pisses you off and youre cheering for the bad guys by the end. As an experienced er doctor, he also offers plain advice on dealing with the virus. The epic story of the deadliest plague in history also subtitled the story of the deadliest pandemic in history is a 2004 nonfiction book by john m. In the dead zone, malcolm gladwell recounts the lessons of the 1918 spanish flu epidemic, which killed between twenty million and forty million people.
Mar 30, 2016 it depends on your context general, medical details, historicalsocial impact, personal stories, photo essays, etc. Now nearly 100 years removed from the 1918 spanish flu, spinney wonders what lessons it has imparted that might help us prepare for and deal with the next, inevitable influenza pandemic. A brief history and lessons from the twentieth century pandemic great influenza 1918 spanish flu pandemic book 1 by james walter 3. This booklist highlights some of the more prominent books for teens on the topic, both fiction and nonfiction, and as a bonus, a few futuristic stories that posit a world during, and after, an even deadlier flu pandemic. His work is complicated as a street preacher named kolas aids the flu s spread. Three nonfiction books about medicine a little blog of books.
Whats the best nonfiction book to read on the 1918. A book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. The spanish flu epidemic of 1918 reached virtually every country, killing so many people so quickly that some cities were forced to convert streetcars into hearses. Barry that examines the 1918 flu pandemic, the worst pandemic in history. Booklist spinney argues that almost a century later, the spanish flu is still emerging from the shadows of the first world war in our collective memories. The best nonfiction books about pandemics, diseases, and outbreaks of the past by steven john may 8, 2020 11. In the real world, the spanish flu outbreak ravaged the world shortly after the charnel house that was world war i had ended. Novels about what life might be like in the grips of a global epidemic dont have to be speculative fictionweve already had widespread and deadly worldwide diseases, like the 1918 spanish flu. Laura spinneys absorbing study of the 1918 spanish influenza, which killed almost 100 million people, should make us glad the nhs exists flu victims at. Nov 05, 2009 however, though some interesting non fiction books on the flu have been published fairly recently theres one by new york times science writer gina kolata, its true that it is not a subject that has been widely discussed. Barry focuses on what was occurring in the united states at the time and attempts to place it against the background of american history.
Clearly, this tragedy causes fear and fires the imagination at the same time. The spanish flu pandemic occurred from january 1918 until december 1920. It depends on your context general, medical details, historicalsocial impact, personal stories, photo essays, etc. Influenza book by jeremy brown official publisher page. The spanish flu pandemic of 1918 is practically a character in this work of historical fiction, given that it is the flu that influences just about all that takes place for the bright family. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Flu is one of my favorite books, an immensely digestible account of the 1918. Are there any good books about the 1918 flu pandemic. Whats the best nonfiction book to read on the 1918 spanish flu pandemic. Despite the fact far more people worldwide died of the flu, continue reading literary links.