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In the light of other diseases traveling the world it reinforces how lucky we have been so far. I read this first years ago and have re read it a number of times since then.
It is a book that will stay with you for years and years. I still talk about it even after all this time.
The title of this review says it all. This actually happened.
My advice is buy it but be prepared to have your perception of this topic changed for all time. What a fascinating and chilling story.
Preston captures and holds your attention running icy fingers up and down your spine.
All this happened not far from where I lived back at that time.Worth getting. I could not put this book down. I read it in two days.
You absolutely will pay a LOT more attention to news of virus outbreaks after reading this. The bummer is that you probably will come away convinced that this is how we are all going to die, with those malevolent little viruses working 24/7 to bring us down. You will learn a lot, and have a new view of air travel and research using imported monkeys. How's that for a scary title. If you are thinking about the movie "Outbreak" that was based on this, get ready for something MUCH better and more chilling, because this ain't Hollywood, folks, this is the real deal, and the movie PALES by comparison. I found myself stopping every couple dozen pages and re-reading the flaps to make sure I was reading non-fiction, because it sure reads like a very, very scary thriller. But, this is what kept running through my mind as I read this book when it first came out years ago. I normally go for escapist fare and I'm not into apocalyptic stuff at all, but this is so well written that you will find it a compelling page turner.
He constantly revisits what the virus can do and what it looks like. I'd love to see this book about Ebola rewritten in 2009. R. Very well done overall. How much would change and what has happened since then. Preston really puts the Ebola and Marburg virus into complete perspective in terms of what effect it could potentially have on the world as we know it and what almost did happen to the world had a few situations not broke the right way. His writing and storytelling is superb albeit very repetitious at times.
I found all of the parts equally entertaining but especially enjoyed the whole Virginia deal (seems to ever more satisfying with all of this swine flu business). The book reads easily and never losses its touch. In the end I would recommend The Hot Zone to any one in need of a little near disaster. Possibly the most frightening book I've read, The Hot Zone seamlessly combines horror, medical drama, and politics into one. Although the sections detailing the violent disease related deaths can get a bit gory and graphic at times, the book is never overwhelming as Preston intertwines the science and the story.
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