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Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic 1st Edition

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David Quammen (Author)
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David Quammen (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 475 customer reviews
#1 Best Sellerin Bacteriology
ISBN-13: 978-0393346619
ISBN-10: 0393346617
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 592 pages
  • Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (September 9, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0393346617
  • ISBN-13: 978-0393346619
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (475 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,067 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsGripping stories with good science
By Rachael Ludwick on September 30, 2012
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
The jargon of diseases can be boring, tedious. There are a lot of acronyms and big words. Worse, we often don't know as much as we'd like -- and usually we aren't very certain of what we do know. Telling a good story given those constraints is hard. But Spillover repeatedly provides gripping stories that still impart a good understanding of what we know about zoonotic (animal-origin) diseases. Even better, the author ties disparate stories together to describe some general trend and possible causes for seemingly new infectious diseases. But I don't want to summarize the conclusions: I want you to go read it. You won't be bored and you'll learn a lot (most definitely even if you've read books like The Hot Zone or the Coming Plague).

Some other notes:
* The author has a less human-centric attitude and a lot of sympathy for the animals, like horses or apes, who sometimes are actually the first animal a disease spills over into only to later infect humans.
* He has a wry tone. When noting the euthanasia of a large number of monkeys (even ones likely not infected with a disease), he notes no humans were euthanized despite equal exposure.
* He provides full references. Some of those papers are quite readable by a non-expert such as this review ([...]) of the importance of bats as reservoirs for infectious diseases.
* The stories are often told from the perspective of the scientists trying to figure out what the heck is really going on. The author is also not afraid to explain when scientists just don't know -- and how they might figure it out more.
* The author went on several field collections where he might have been exposed to a disease being investigated.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsSpillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic
By Thomas Jones on September 29, 2012
Format: Hardcover
I have a science background but not in the biological sciences. Over the years I have followed much of the discussions about HIV/AIDS, SARS, and other outbreaks of infectious diseases in the popular press without being able to put it all together. This book provides that overall view and a status report on our efforts to deal with this ongoing threat. In a few spots there may be more technical information than many may want but it is presented in a way that allows one to move past it without losing the thread of the discussion. The book provides a description of the work done by the professionals on the front line and challenges they face. This is an important subject that we all should all be aware of. The book is well worth reading.
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5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent, Vital, Gripping Book
By Yarrow on October 6, 2012
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Quammen's writing is vivid yet measured, detailed yet gripping, and he possesses true talent as a narrative non-fiction writer. His ability to explain complex scientific ideas and processes in layman's terms is fantastic, and made this book such a joy to read. Though pandemic disease is often written about in ways that are hysterical and melodramatic, SPILLOVER is not a fear-mongering book.

I also deeply appreciated Quammen's awareness of the animals involved, and his respect and empathy for them. It's subtle but ever-present in his choice of language describing them.

I hope this book is assigned in high schools-- it was so inspiring it made me wish I could do my undergraduate schooling over again and become a scientist.
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5.0 out of 5 stars"FRIGHTENING, GRIPPING, INTELLIGENT!"
By Author/Reviewer Geri Ahearn TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on October 3, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Award Winning author David Quammen delivers a brilliant, informative presentation of different animals, explaining clearly in simple terms how a disease spills over from animal to human. Through compelling stories weaved together, the author gives a gripping account of new infectious diseases, different animals in relation to specific diseases, and fascinating science reporting of examinations conducted by scientists. In addition, information reported from extensive research is provided on apes, horses, bats and other animals. The author presents engaging stories as he writes with compassion and sympathy about different diseases and the dangers of spillover. Discussions about outbreaks of infectious diseases are provided, along with information on dealing with ongoing threats. It was extremely interesting to learn about the results of examinations, and progress made by the professionals as they face several challenges. It was also scary to ponder on the growing trend of diseases that spill from animal to human, a major concern is noted while contemplating on why these diseases emerge. Of course, the reader becomes curious about a new outbreak, which makes this intelligent presentation thought-provoking throughout. Interesting, Educational, and Highly Recommended to science lovers!
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5.0 out of 5 starsUnputdownable!
By Bandula on October 21, 2012
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
This is an extremely well researched and lucidly written book that I was really not able to put down till I completed the full 500 plus pages! It moves well from horse viruses in Australia through Ebola, SARS, Nipah, Hanta, Lyme to AIDS viruses (there are two!), tracking each from the first known occurrence to the location of the animal "reservoir host" and finishes with what may be "lurking" around the corner for mankind. The author still manages to be non-sensationalist and writes so well to give authenticity to all his interviews down to the regional specific English syntax of the interviewee. (I read the recent article in the Wall Street journal about this book written by the author of "Hotzone", the original and excellent book about Ebola, and found the mild criticism offered there about this book generally unwarranted). Recommended to anyone who is interested in human pathogens that originate in animals and from time to time have been the scourge of humankind.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent, exciting, informative read!

David Quammen’s Spillover takes the reader on a fast-paced, round-the-world journey to explore how and why zoonoses occur. Read more

Published 1 day ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsEnjoyable read with a warning - we are doing this to ourselves

Quammen makes the stories of viral discovery tangible and understandable. He manages to convey a great deal of complexity about the nature, transmission and evolution of viruses in... Read more

Published 6 days ago by Nancy Online
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great

Published 10 days ago by maria
5.0 out of 5 starsEntertaining, science based read

Very entertaining, without sacrificing any details or being light in the science. The travels and research and interviews that are narrated are interesting and make you want to... Read more

Published 22 days ago by Monicach22
4.0 out of 5 starsExcellent book, terribly audio narrator!

I enjoyed this book a great deal, but was truly horrified by the constant mispronunciations by the narrator of scientific terms, names of people and places, and even words that are... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Laura
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Such an interesting look at the microscopic world around us. Wash your hands and stay away from bats!

Published 1 month ago by Erik Ruiz
5.0 out of 5 starsThe Next Pandemic Closer than we Think

You don’t have to be a scientist or microbiologist to read this book. David Quammen is an excellent writer and fantastic storyteller. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starseasily digested style

Gripping, fascinating science written in a flowing, easily digested style. David Quammen constantly injected himself into the story talking about his own personal experiences,... Read more

Published 2 months ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsWhile I enjoyed Spillover, I found in it a rehashing of ...

While I enjoyed Spillover, I found in it a rehashing of what I have come to see as a common trend in books of this nature. That is to say, the historical-turned-thriller. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Jane
5.0 out of 5 starsGood Read

I had to read this book for one of my classes and honestly kept my expectations very low, but I was pleasantly surprised. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Daniel Hu

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