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The Ames Strain: The Mystery Behind America's Most Deadly Bioterror Attack
"A mystery story about murder committed on the national stage . . . we have a twisted villain whose secret life is laid utterly bare. Unlike most mysteries, this one is literally true, carefully documented and skillfully told by one of America's finest investigative journalists."—John S. Carroll, Los Angeles Times In the dark days that followed September 11, America faced its first major bioterror attack that led to five deaths, seventeen infections, and a seven-year hunt for the culprit. The Ames Strain is an engrossing and unsparing portrait of Bruce Edwards Ivins, the deeply troubled US Army scientist that the United States Department of Justice concluded to be the sole perpetrator of the anthrax attacks. David Willman uncovers the struggle for control within the FBI's anthrax investigation, the missteps of an overzealous press, and how a cadre of government officials disregarded scientific evidence in order to spin the attacks into a basis for war with Iraq. With bioweapons continuing to make the news, the lessons from the Ivins case and Willman's thorough investigation are more relevant than ever. David Willman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist whose work has prompted major public health reforms. His reporting for the Los Angeles Times brought to light the pivotal developments surrounding the 2001 anthrax letter attacks. Willman's groundbreaking reporting in 2008 on the investigation of the deadly anthrax mailings was cited by the Scripps Howard Foundation as the year's best Washington-based coverage.
430 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 25, 2015
I received this book free through Goodreads' First Reads program.
In The Ames Strain: The Mystery Behind America's Most Deadly Bioterror Attack, David Willman lays out the case of the anthrax letters sent to members of Congress and the press shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001. The book starts with a brief overview of the attacks themselves and the FBI's two main suspects, Dr. Steven Hatfill and Bruce Ivins, both scientists with a history of work at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland.
The book gives a short history of the United States' biowarfare program and how it became a defense-oriented program during the Cold War. However, the primary focus is the life of Bruce Ivins, who eventually became the primary suspect in the FBI investigation into the anthrax attacks, and the investigation itself. It also goes into detail about how Dr. Steven Hatfill became a suspect early in the investigation, and how the focus of individuals within the FBI and the media on him may have eventually damaged the case against Bruce Ivins.
The author goes into great detail on the life of Bruce Ivins and the FBI's investigation, and it is supported by ~60 pages of end notes/references (printed in smaller type than the rest of the book). The notes indicate many hours of interviews with people close to Bruce Ivins and the investigation, as well as the use of many documents related to the investigation.
Overall, I found the book a fascinating account of the investigation into the anthrax attacks. The author is methodical in his approach to the case and even goes to the lengths of including an appendix (~20 pages) detailing the primary points of the case against Bruce Ivins (and attempting to answer the questions that seem to lead the press and conspiracy theorists to believe it was not him, or he could not have done it alone). He also breaks down many of the potentially difficult-to-understand areas of an investigation dealing with microbiology in a way that should be fairly easy for most people to understand.
In The Ames Strain: The Mystery Behind America's Most Deadly Bioterror Attack, David Willman lays out the case of the anthrax letters sent to members of Congress and the press shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001. The book starts with a brief overview of the attacks themselves and the FBI's two main suspects, Dr. Steven Hatfill and Bruce Ivins, both scientists with a history of work at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland.
The book gives a short history of the United States' biowarfare program and how it became a defense-oriented program during the Cold War. However, the primary focus is the life of Bruce Ivins, who eventually became the primary suspect in the FBI investigation into the anthrax attacks, and the investigation itself. It also goes into detail about how Dr. Steven Hatfill became a suspect early in the investigation, and how the focus of individuals within the FBI and the media on him may have eventually damaged the case against Bruce Ivins.
The author goes into great detail on the life of Bruce Ivins and the FBI's investigation, and it is supported by ~60 pages of end notes/references (printed in smaller type than the rest of the book). The notes indicate many hours of interviews with people close to Bruce Ivins and the investigation, as well as the use of many documents related to the investigation.
Overall, I found the book a fascinating account of the investigation into the anthrax attacks. The author is methodical in his approach to the case and even goes to the lengths of including an appendix (~20 pages) detailing the primary points of the case against Bruce Ivins (and attempting to answer the questions that seem to lead the press and conspiracy theorists to believe it was not him, or he could not have done it alone). He also breaks down many of the potentially difficult-to-understand areas of an investigation dealing with microbiology in a way that should be fairly easy for most people to understand.
July 4, 2014
Before I submit my review, I must disclose that I am a recipient of "The Ames Strain" via Giveaways. Thank you to all who made this possible, it is always a privilege and pleasure to review a work.
Without a doubt, there is a line between investigative journalists and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalists and it's not hard to see why David Willman falls into the latter category. "The Ames Strain" is an exhaustive account of the anthrax attacks via mail that followed September 11, 2011, (Ames being the strain of anthrax used). Although dense with facts, dates, and names, the book reads like a detective novel; once it grips you it's hard to let it go. Mr. Willman opens his novel with a focus on the early life of Dr. Bruce Ivins. Not familiar with Dr. Ivins? Probably because it was Dr. Steven Hatfill who was hounded by the media, FBI, and Justice Department in their rush to lay blame. However; as Mr. Willman skillfully lays out, Dr. Ivins had the means and the motive to send the letters. Mr. Willman unearths many disturbing facts as he follows the trail of the anthrax laced letters. For example, one very disturbing facet of the investigation is how mentally unstable Dr. Ivins was, yet he was allowed to work with deadly biological pathogens. Equally disturbing is the utter mess the government made of the investigation in the days following the receipt of the anthrax filled letters. Without complete (or sometimes any) accurate information, Iraq was blamed. This became a catalyst for sending us to war looking for the non-existent weapons of mass destruction. As the investigation turned stateside, the obsessive focus on Hatfill as the only suspect, despite an incredible lack of credible evidence by the FBI, is recounted in painful detail by Mr. Willman. In the end, Mr. Willman convincingly lays the blame at the feet of a bright, but highly unstable man, who managed to add to the fear and hysteria already gripping our nation; Dr. Ivins. Very well written, researched, and cited.
Without a doubt, there is a line between investigative journalists and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalists and it's not hard to see why David Willman falls into the latter category. "The Ames Strain" is an exhaustive account of the anthrax attacks via mail that followed September 11, 2011, (Ames being the strain of anthrax used). Although dense with facts, dates, and names, the book reads like a detective novel; once it grips you it's hard to let it go. Mr. Willman opens his novel with a focus on the early life of Dr. Bruce Ivins. Not familiar with Dr. Ivins? Probably because it was Dr. Steven Hatfill who was hounded by the media, FBI, and Justice Department in their rush to lay blame. However; as Mr. Willman skillfully lays out, Dr. Ivins had the means and the motive to send the letters. Mr. Willman unearths many disturbing facts as he follows the trail of the anthrax laced letters. For example, one very disturbing facet of the investigation is how mentally unstable Dr. Ivins was, yet he was allowed to work with deadly biological pathogens. Equally disturbing is the utter mess the government made of the investigation in the days following the receipt of the anthrax filled letters. Without complete (or sometimes any) accurate information, Iraq was blamed. This became a catalyst for sending us to war looking for the non-existent weapons of mass destruction. As the investigation turned stateside, the obsessive focus on Hatfill as the only suspect, despite an incredible lack of credible evidence by the FBI, is recounted in painful detail by Mr. Willman. In the end, Mr. Willman convincingly lays the blame at the feet of a bright, but highly unstable man, who managed to add to the fear and hysteria already gripping our nation; Dr. Ivins. Very well written, researched, and cited.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2014
** Received free copy from Goodreads First Reads **
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I have to say I was thoroughly surprised. Many books that "point the finger" at a particular perpetrator are one sided and often biased. This is not the case with The Ames Strain. Willman presents the evidence in a well told story and, while obviously "pointing the finger" at Bruce Ivins, does not seem biased. This is a fine piece of work. Not only does Willman provide background and actual details, he makes it a point to include the suspicions relating to other possible offenders. Willman also includes the conspiracy theories and summarizes that there is the possibility of another perpetrator.
I was impressed with this story and would gladly read another work from David Willman.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I have to say I was thoroughly surprised. Many books that "point the finger" at a particular perpetrator are one sided and often biased. This is not the case with The Ames Strain. Willman presents the evidence in a well told story and, while obviously "pointing the finger" at Bruce Ivins, does not seem biased. This is a fine piece of work. Not only does Willman provide background and actual details, he makes it a point to include the suspicions relating to other possible offenders. Willman also includes the conspiracy theories and summarizes that there is the possibility of another perpetrator.
I was impressed with this story and would gladly read another work from David Willman.
December 23, 2014
I received this copy through Goodread's First Reads!
A well written book, this provides descriptive details without going overboard and losing my attention. It was really interesting, though it took me a while to get through the entire book. Great nonfiction!
A well written book, this provides descriptive details without going overboard and losing my attention. It was really interesting, though it took me a while to get through the entire book. Great nonfiction!
August 4, 2014
This was a very well written book. The subject was very interesting as well. It took me a little longer to read this book than I would have liked, but all in all it was ok.
July 9, 2014
Definitely 5 stars! Amazing in every detail....
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews