This book was interesting in spite of itself. Very few people know the scope of the havoc the flu of 1918-1919. In America alone it killed more Americans than were killed in combat in World War I, II, Korea, Vietnam, and all wars we fought in since. Worldwide it is estimated that 1/2 of the worlds population at the time caught the flu and 20-40 million died from it. Yet for most of my life I thought of the flu as nothing more than an inconvenience and an occasional health threat to the very young or very old. I learned a lot but it certainly wasn't as riveting as say Devil in the White City (also in this list).

If you can find a more highly recommended book about the pandemic then get that, otherwise read this one, it is a serviceable introduction to what happened. ( )