Customer Reviews

Lethal Mists: An Introduction to the Natural and Military Sciences of Chemical, Biological Warfare and Terrorism

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Dr. Taylor's Lethal Mists is a very important book, and should be regarded as one of the main texts for modern study of chemical and biological warfare (CBW). The author explains in precise detail the mechanisms of chemical warfare (CW) agent injury, and he does so by making these rather complex issues very comprehensible. Dr. Taylor's perspective is a very insightful, educated, and objective one, not given to handwringing or other distractions. In addition to the excellent scientific background, Lethal Mists provides some very thought provoking issues concerning the future of CBW and American defense policy. We should all read this book before finding out the hard way.

Eric Taylor recognized that most written materials on CBW were too technical for the average reader, and he intented to resolve this by demonstrating the natural sciences that CBW is based on.

I unfortunately read too much into the title, and thus was greatly disappointed. Expecting to read a well illustrated book that discussed the natural sciences behind CBW - I read a book that was more-or-less a sectioned biochemistry textbook followed by a sectioned description of CBW agents. Whereas the author could have shown the basis for selecting CW agents based on volatility, vapor density, etc., as was commonly discussed after WWI; or detailed the mechanisms for atmospheric difussion - he dwelt on chemical bonds, basic biology, and the typical over-emphasis on CBW agents that is common to many CBW writers.

Eric Taylor makes a good attempt at writing what he perceived was needed. It is full of many good examples, and presents interesting historical facts. I hold him in high regards in this respect.

The author is a biochemist, and thus his emphasis is on biology and chemistry as it relates to CBW. This aspect will undoubtedly loose many readers, appearing to be a 101 microbiology or chemistry textbook with unrelated CBW Agent afterwards. The books structure is topical, focusing on each topic while loosing focus on the over-all purpose (i.e., post hole method).

I did enjoy the authors historical treatment of many topics.