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talonsontypewriters's review
informative
medium-paced
2.75
interesting information, but horrendous organization thereof; I really do not think you needed to go into that much detail about the history of patent law. also, despite the title and blurb, covers a relatively limited period of time and geographical range in TB's history and isn't so much about how TB has shaped society as how systematic issues affect how TB patients are treated (important and interesting in and of itself, but not what the book is advertised as being about)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
beebeetlebee's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
burdasnest's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
I absolutely agree with the author, but ultimately, I think the execution was flawed. To start, this isn't about how TB shaped history so much as how inequality has shaped TB. If you're looking for a TB equivalent for The Mosquito by Winegard or Rabid by Wasik and Murphy, this isn't it. But if you're a Paul Farmer fan, this will probably be up your alley.
Krishnan does her research, but could have used a better fact checker/editor. There are some inaccurate historical depictions (Jane Seymour wasn't Queen Elizabeth I's mother) and some inconsistencies with the clinical understanding of TB (it's not a racist inconsistency to x-ray new immigrants from TB-endemic countries like India but not returning US tourists, because they're not going to see anything on the x-ray of someone's who was in India for a just a week or even studying abroad since TB is a slow-developing infection).
In Chapter 9, Krishnan discusses the impact of colonial gatekeeping of TB treatment. A huge issue to be sure, but a caveat with the newly developed antibiotics is that misuse will cause resistance and then we're back at square 1. The hitch isn't with the patients as Krishnan is rightly upset about (the bogus "rural Africans can't tell time") but with some countries' weak public health systems, which is mentioned but not connected back as a legitimate flaw. And that flaw isn't just found in formerly colonized countries, but places like Russia as well where we find a resistant TB issue because of systemic failure. In my opinion, it's the combination that proves fatal.
Krishnan is rightfully angry in the second half of the book, and writes a scathing indictment of the patent system, pharmaceutical industry, and indifference of even public health officials to suffering. And I'm here for it! But such strong language without qualifiers makes it easier for people to pick apart her argument.
Ultimately, I think this just needed a little more work.
Krishnan does her research, but could have used a better fact checker/editor. There are some inaccurate historical depictions (Jane Seymour wasn't Queen Elizabeth I's mother) and some inconsistencies with the clinical understanding of TB (it's not a racist inconsistency to x-ray new immigrants from TB-endemic countries like India but not returning US tourists, because they're not going to see anything on the x-ray of someone's who was in India for a just a week or even studying abroad since TB is a slow-developing infection).
In Chapter 9, Krishnan discusses the impact of colonial gatekeeping of TB treatment. A huge issue to be sure, but a caveat with the newly developed antibiotics is that misuse will cause resistance and then we're back at square 1. The hitch isn't with the patients as Krishnan is rightly upset about (the bogus "rural Africans can't tell time") but with some countries' weak public health systems, which is mentioned but not connected back as a legitimate flaw. And that flaw isn't just found in formerly colonized countries, but places like Russia as well where we find a resistant TB issue because of systemic failure. In my opinion, it's the combination that proves fatal.
Krishnan is rightfully angry in the second half of the book, and writes a scathing indictment of the patent system, pharmaceutical industry, and indifference of even public health officials to suffering. And I'm here for it! But such strong language without qualifiers makes it easier for people to pick apart her argument.
Ultimately, I think this just needed a little more work.
ekathol's review against another edition
4.0
3.5. interesting historical POVs but a little choppy at times.
iocococo's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Informative, but not the book I was looking for based on the title. It will make you hate capitalism and imperialism more than you already do.
pond_newt's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Although the subject of this book is incredibly important I found the way it was written frustrating. Too much time was spent explaining the intricacies of patent law and the back and forth laws that attempted to stop people spitting in the 1800s, and not enough time on individual experiences. I would still recommend this book to everyone just because of how important the message is but I wish the information was delivered in a better way.