Books
by William H McNeill
Plagues and Peoples |
With the rise of new viruses like Ebola, HIV, Mad Cow Disease and bird flu, this well-known historian offers an unusual - although here and there very personal - theory of how epidemics work to undermine a region's population, so that its weakness favours invading armies and other factors which he calls 'macroparasites and microparasites'. The first half is a bit speculative but the second is spot on . . . an interesting and instructive read. (Kathie Somerwil Ayrton - bwl 56 Spring 2010) |
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