Customer Reviews

EBOLA

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

William T. Close's account of the 1976 Ebola outbreak in the Yambuku region of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) provides a startling look at the emotions, fears and struggles of the individuals involved in a virus outbreak. In the case of this outbreak, the etiological agent was not yet known to human-kind, thus enhancing the fear of the disease caused by the virus.

It is unfair to compare this book to The Hot Zone since The Hot Zone is written more as a thriller rather than to be informative. It is full of sensationalistic phrases and thoughts and leaves out many important scientists involved in the Reston outbreak.

Close's Ebola gives you the knowledge needed to appreciate an outbreak of a deadly disease and I highly recommend it.

Ebola, by William T. Close, M.D., is a moderately dramatized account of the first outbreak of the Ebola virus in Zaire in 1976. The book's cover and introduction make it a point to inform you that Dr. Close was there to witness the outbreak firsthand and "worked desperately to contain the first outbreak of the virus", but the book is written in the third person and Dr. Close never makes an appearance. It's clear that he changed the names of the other people involved, but why change his own name in a book he's writing? Strange.

Also somewhat strange is the fact that the word "Ebola" never appears in the main narrative. This is understandable given the book's focus on the characters rather than on the virus, but since the book's title is Ebola, I was expecting a little more information on the virus itself. Close's choice to focus on the characters rather than the virus is at times a good thing and at times perplexing.

The story begins slowly, establishing the look and feel of the village of Yambuku, its people, and the Flemish nuns running the mission there. As the first victims of the virus begin to appear, the foreshadowing gets a little ham-fisted. It almost feels like Close is intentionally portraying the nuns as unconcerned and even careless merely for the sake of adding to the suspense.

After the first hundred pages or so, things finally start to pick up and the really interesting stuff begins. The dedication of the nuns in caring for the victims under some of the harshest conditions imaginable, even as they themselves begin to contract the virus, is touching, and it's what makes the book worth reading.

Unfortunately, while the middle of the book is gripping and generally well written, the last third goes completely off track. When two doctors from the WHO finally arrive at Yambuku, the virus has already killed hundreds of villagers and is beginning to burn itself out. Without the constant influx of Ebola victims, the author seems to lose his bearing, and the story inexplicably shifts its focus to a schoolboy crush one of the doctors (who is married) has developed on one of the nuns. It's so awkward it's almost creepy at parts. After this confusing twist is resolved, the book just keeps on going for no discernable reason, following the nun as she flees Yambuku when it seems like the virus might reappear. Nothing interesting happens to the nun, the virus doesn't return, and the book just ends, having strung you along for the last hundred pages or so for no real reason.

There's another creepy thing about this book, and that's the author's apparent fascination with breasts. He describes them at every possible opportunity, often in unnecessary detail. The reader is kept constantly aware of the statuses of the breasts of nearly every female character, villagers and nuns alike. At one point we're even forced to read a description of the teats of one of the village's mangy dogs. I like breasts as much as the next man, but Close seems to think (and write) about them far more than is warranted, especially for a story primarily about Flemish nuns.

On the whole, while I wasn't crazy about it, the book did tell a compelling story. I think a better author could have made it even more compelling, but since Dr. Close was apparently there, he'll have to do. However, if you're looking for technical descriptions of Ebola, its effects, and its treatment, look somewhere else. This is a book about villagers and nuns and how they dealt with an outbreak; it's not a book about Ebola.

This book is in a way unique. It is different from medical thrillers as it describes life itself. It creates its suspense and its attraction from the fact that the real world, real events are interwoven with fictional characters who themselves are based on real characters. Everything is authentic in this book. Close consequently does not ask questions about his characters' motivation or their human defects. They are heroes as human as they can be. And all the more admirable. An excellent book!

No where is safe, this is definitely proven in the book Ebola. In this horrific, true tale, death is everywhere and no one will listen to their plea for help. Doctors are scarce and the nuns do what they can, but nothing seems to ease the pain that comes with the deadly Ebola virus. Villages are barricaded and people are left to sit and wonder whether or not they will be left to die like so many others. At the beginning I was not able to put the book down, but as it trailed closer to the end I was begging for the plot to move faster. This was over all a very good book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a renewed appreciation for life.

In this book, William Close has worked hard to record the true story about Ebola's first recorded outbreak. The events that unfolded in the Yambuku region of Zaire (now Dem. Rep. of Congo) are particularly frightening because of the unknown nature of the "new" pathogen which was killing people quickly and brutally, while breaking many of the known "rules" of disease prevention. The conversations and characters in the book reflect this atmosphere of fright. They caused me to explore my own character to ponder how I would have responded in the same situation. And, as a result of this book I have gained a more personal look at those who lost their lives to the first outbreak of Ebola. Too often we just hear reports of "300 dead in this region" without realizing that these people were mothers, fathers, and children. In conclusion, this book was not boring at all! Like any good novel, it explores the lives of the characters in-depth; sections without page-turning excitement should be expected. Yet the exciting parts of the books would not be the same without the more descriptive parts.

Close writes the true account of Ebola in Africa using his first-hand experiences as a doctor there. The book starts out somewhat slow, but stick with it, especially if you love the topic of emerging viruses and Ebola.

It took me forever to finally get into the book and by then, I just wanted all the characters to die from it and the book to be over.... Richard Preston wrote a much better novel, even if he wasn't there.

Don't get me wrong, the Hot Zone is a top-notch book! But this is a book written by a man who was there. He witnessed the Ebola outbreak. The Hot Zone is another excellent book. I admit, I liked it better but this book tells the story as it is. Its a great book. And did you know that the author is Glen Close's dad? Yes, he's a doctor and he was THERE when Ebola hit Zaire. It is a very good book. And if you liked this one, you'll love the Hot Zone!

Agree totally with all the 1-star reviewers. I read the Hot Zone and was riveted. Admittedly The Hot Zone was a bit more sensationalistic, but it was exciting. This supposed true account was dull, dull dull. Much of the book dealt with the interpersonal dynamics of the Sisters, rather than the Ebola outbreak. Based on the book's cover, I was expecting a detailed, somewhat scientific account about how the outbreak was discovered, investigated, and resolved. It certainly didn't do this.

I enjoyed this book very much;sure it wasn't the rollercoaster ride of "The Hot Zone", but it gives you the back story of the epidemic. You learn in detail about the people who were only briefly mentioned in "The Hot Zone". Those people's courage could inspire us all.