labocat's review against another edition
2.0
I don’t know who this book is for. I will freely admit I only read it because it was given to me for my birthday with the expectation that it would Spark Discussion once I was done, otherwise I’m still living through the Covid-19 pandemic, I don’t need to read about it’s impact.
This book was written too early. Despite the paperback version having a new preface and afterword, the majority of the book was written by the end of August 2020, and the paperback additions only a year after that. Eight months into a pandemic that we’re current in Year Four of is an odd time to publish a book that you intend to be enduring, at a time where a lot of what is written is speculation and hopes, or what turns out to be spectacular events that turn out to be a blip in the response and behavior changes.
The book is also overflowing with statistics, needlessly so, especially given the fact that it’s taking such a narrow view of the pandemic as a whole. I don’t need to know the exact percentage of people who moved out of rural areas as a response to the 1957 flu pandemic. It only has the effect of reading more like an editorial column in a scientific journal than a book ostensibly for laypeople.
The question is kind of answered in the chapter that discusses cultural learning and knowledge, that this is, I guess, intended to be a chronicle for the future of what happened and how we responded to the beginning of the pandemic, and everything else is loosely tied together to make people in this era want to buy it. But even then it’s oddly organized, chapters meandering all over the place, no chronology in sight, and that doesn’t escape the issue of it being published too early. It also tries to avoid any sense of political statement (aside from the comment that scientific facts shouldn’t be used as political agenda, which, unfortunately, is a political stance in this pandemic), and in doing so, avoids discussing a major factor in the United States’ response to the news of Covid-19. Human altruism is discussed at length, which would be well and good if the mindset from the first few months of the pandemic had endured. Sadly, it didn’t, and the effect of hearing about how communities came together to protect each other seems naive in 2023.
This book was written too early. Despite the paperback version having a new preface and afterword, the majority of the book was written by the end of August 2020, and the paperback additions only a year after that. Eight months into a pandemic that we’re current in Year Four of is an odd time to publish a book that you intend to be enduring, at a time where a lot of what is written is speculation and hopes, or what turns out to be spectacular events that turn out to be a blip in the response and behavior changes.
The book is also overflowing with statistics, needlessly so, especially given the fact that it’s taking such a narrow view of the pandemic as a whole. I don’t need to know the exact percentage of people who moved out of rural areas as a response to the 1957 flu pandemic. It only has the effect of reading more like an editorial column in a scientific journal than a book ostensibly for laypeople.
The question is kind of answered in the chapter that discusses cultural learning and knowledge, that this is, I guess, intended to be a chronicle for the future of what happened and how we responded to the beginning of the pandemic, and everything else is loosely tied together to make people in this era want to buy it. But even then it’s oddly organized, chapters meandering all over the place, no chronology in sight, and that doesn’t escape the issue of it being published too early. It also tries to avoid any sense of political statement (aside from the comment that scientific facts shouldn’t be used as political agenda, which, unfortunately, is a political stance in this pandemic), and in doing so, avoids discussing a major factor in the United States’ response to the news of Covid-19. Human altruism is discussed at length, which would be well and good if the mindset from the first few months of the pandemic had endured. Sadly, it didn’t, and the effect of hearing about how communities came together to protect each other seems naive in 2023.
peterthelibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
After six or so months of fitful reading, I finally did finish this, but felt it’s predictions and conclusions were less on point as the year went on: vaccines arrived in record time and reduced the likelihood of hospitalization and death, but new, more contagious variants and social weariness with NPIs meant that the disease continued to spread seemingly unabated; there was little data on Long Haul haul effects at the time of the book’s publication; etc. information about the initial response to the disease, details of which the author had an inside view, were interesting. A second edition of this book would be worthwhile if it is written with further insights and data gathered over the course of the 18+ months of the pandemic.
k8iedid's review against another edition
5.0
I was browsing the American Book Center in The Hague some time before the Netherlands did away with the final coronarules in October, sometime before this current wave (the fifth?), sometime before this current "lockdown" that we're in. I spotted this title on the shelf and wondered how someone could already write about the enduring impact. Then I discovered the author's pedigree and picked it up.
What a fantastic read. I was fascinated by how much information we have about previous pandemics and how, even though our modern world is so different, this is playing out almost the same. This book is very niche-y and won't appeal to all, but I loved it.
tl;dr: coronavirus will be around for awhile, and it depends on how society decides to live with x level of risk.
What a fantastic read. I was fascinated by how much information we have about previous pandemics and how, even though our modern world is so different, this is playing out almost the same. This book is very niche-y and won't appeal to all, but I loved it.
tl;dr: coronavirus will be around for awhile, and it depends on how society decides to live with x level of risk.
kahawa's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great overview of the covid-19 pandemic and pandemics in general, starting with the origin of the virus in Wuhan, and ending with projections about the future in regards to vaccines and co-existence. Christakis managed to keep it fairly a-political, although the latter half measuredly critiqued Trump's handling of the pandemic. I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to get an overview of what happened in the first half of 2020, from an expert's perspective, which isn't the same thing as what the rest of us were reading on Facebook and Twitter. Pandemics aren't new, as Christakis describes, even though they're new to the generation that they impact.
I thought that Christakis gave an objective reasoned analysis of many confusing and controversial issues, such as the origin of the virus (bat or lab?), the effectiveness of masks (it's not just yes or no), the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine and other medical interventions, the impact of shut-downs and physical distancing on both the economy, the virus, and sociology. And more. There's something in here to annoy both the liberals and the conservatives - he doesn't take sides, he just explains the issues.
It wasn't overly academic or mathy either, but it never felt dumbed down. He's a scientist not an activist, so he's focusing on the science of covid-19.
And although he published this in August 2020, it still feels on the money and completely relevant in April 2021.
I thought that Christakis gave an objective reasoned analysis of many confusing and controversial issues, such as the origin of the virus (bat or lab?), the effectiveness of masks (it's not just yes or no), the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine and other medical interventions, the impact of shut-downs and physical distancing on both the economy, the virus, and sociology. And more. There's something in here to annoy both the liberals and the conservatives - he doesn't take sides, he just explains the issues.
It wasn't overly academic or mathy either, but it never felt dumbed down. He's a scientist not an activist, so he's focusing on the science of covid-19.
And although he published this in August 2020, it still feels on the money and completely relevant in April 2021.
18653681's review against another edition
4.0
I figure a book that is written during the COVID-19 pandemic, would be dated. And yes, some statistics and dates the author predicts is slightly off. What was impressive is that he isn't that off in his predictions on the course of this pandemic. And of a lot of the reason why is that is that we had many pandemics before. He does a good job of reviewing past pandemics. I also appreciated the more detailed science than what we normally heard in media.
erco's review against another edition
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
3.75
Not going to lie, reading about a pandemic that you literary,, survived,, (or however, you want to call it ) was weird for me. For somebody whose English isn't the first language, it wasn't the most effortless reading, especially the first half.
What I like about the book is that the author talk in a book on different topics and points of view. It was good to know what happen from a more professional view and understean it.
What I like about the book is that the author talk in a book on different topics and points of view. It was good to know what happen from a more professional view and understean it.
agrandreflection's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not entirely sure how a book with such a long view of so recent of a thing could exist. But I'm glad it does. This books scope is large, looking at plagues as a whole, and how we've responded in the past in order to understand how to act now with the present threat of COVID-19.
It's like the book Sapiens, but for Covid-19 itself. Truly a classic in the making.
It's like the book Sapiens, but for Covid-19 itself. Truly a classic in the making.
ppmon's review against another edition
4.0
The ideas in this book are articulated in an exemplary manner, and each point is prodigiously grounded in well-researched science. I feel as though I don't have to second guess whatever fact it is that I'm learning.
The writing structure is perfect in that it allows for chunks of reading that last me about 5 minutes - fantastic for some quick reading if I crave that on a particular day.
I general, I feel much more educated about the matter of covid-19 - the risks and benefits of certain restrictions, when to employ said restrictions, what makes a virus particularly difficult to deal with, etc -after having read this.
This certainly contributed to my growing interest in virology and epidemiology!
The writing structure is perfect in that it allows for chunks of reading that last me about 5 minutes - fantastic for some quick reading if I crave that on a particular day.
I general, I feel much more educated about the matter of covid-19 - the risks and benefits of certain restrictions, when to employ said restrictions, what makes a virus particularly difficult to deal with, etc -after having read this.
This certainly contributed to my growing interest in virology and epidemiology!