Before the Next Crisis: Untold Stories of Public Health and Why They Matter

by Tista S. Ghosh

Another pandemic is coming. It’s only a matter of time. It could be a novel flu virus, a biological weapon, even a prehistoric virus from melting glaciers—and we are not prepared. No one wants to endure the lockdowns and social isolation, the confusion and mixed messaging, or the fear and distrust that we experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic ever again. Yet that’s exactly the path we’re headed down if we erase the last pandemic from our memories.

In Before the Next Crisis, the public health expert Tista S. Ghosh implores us to remember. She shares the pandemic stories of everyday Americans from all walks of life—red and blue states, urban and rural areas. This gripping and relatable book recounts the real-life struggles that Americans a Colorado grocery store manager dealing with harassment over mask policies, an Indiana police officer encountering a growing mental health crisis, a rural Wisconsin physician fighting rising public distrust, a California company leader struggling to keep frontline workers safe, and an Ohio health official grappling with the decision to cancel the city’s largest tourist event. These and other powerful narratives not only preserve the history of the pandemic but also highlight the lessons we must learn before the next health crisis—not just politicians or scientists, but all of us.

Genres: Nonfiction

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book delivers what it promises — it's a collection of stories about the pandemic era. All the stories are based on the experiences of American people. At the end, the author reflects on what we've learned from the pandemic and compiles a set of recommendations that serve as a practical guideline for the future. Everything feels logical, practical, and well thought-out. Hopefully, the authorities will listen, because next time they might not be as merciful.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Before the Next Crisis: Untold Stories of Public Health and Why They Matter
From the Lens of a Public Health Practitioner

As someone entrenched in the daily battles of public health—from combating disparities to preparing for the next pandemic—Before the Next Crisis struck me as both a revelation and a reckoning. This book, a mosaic of overlooked narratives, forced me to confront the gaps between our field’s ideals and its realities. Here’s why it matters:

Emotional Resonance: A Mirror to Public Health’s Blind Spots
The untold stories in this book—whether about marginalized communities sidelined during crises or frontline workers battling systemic neglect—left me oscillating between anger and inspiration. One chapter mirrored my own frustrations with bureaucratic inertia, while another reignited my belief in grassroots resilience. The book’s power lies in its humanity; it doesn’t just cite data but amplifies voices often erased from policy debates.

Key Takeaways for Practitioners
-Prevention Over Panic: The title Before the Next Crisis is a provocation. Too often, public health operates in “response mode.” These stories underscore that equity-building (e.g., housing, wages, environmental justice) is crisis prevention.
-The Cost of Silenced Stories: The book exposes how sidelining certain narratives perpetuates harm—a stark reminder to center lived experiences in our work.
-Burnout as a Systemic Failure: The accounts of overworked public health staff resonated painfully. Are we part of the problem?

Constructive Criticism
-Missing Links: While the stories are compelling, I craved more explicit ties to actionable frameworks. How might a health department apply these lessons? A “Lessons for Practice” section could bridge this gap.
-Global Context: Most narratives focus on the U.S. Given how interconnected public health crises are, a global perspective would enrich future editions.

Final Thoughts
This book is a call to humility and urgency. It reminded me that behind every statistic are people—people we’ve failed, people who’ve persisted, and people who hold solutions we’ve yet to honor. For public health professionals, it’s required reading to rekindle our purpose.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5) – A vital critique with room for more translational insights.

Gratitude: Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the free review copy. This book has already influenced how I approach community engagement in my work.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real people, real stakes—an eye-opener I didn’t know I needed..

I’d quietly sworn off pandemic books—too bleak, too political. Then I read Before the Next Crisis and realized I’d been missing the only conversation that matters: what ordinary people actually went through and what those stories teach the rest of us.

Dr. Tista Ghosh keeps the spotlight on everyday Americans. No statistics dump, no policy sermon—just lived reality that hits closer to home than any news report ever did.

The genius of the book is its takeaway: preparedness isn’t a government spreadsheet, it’s a community muscle. Each chapter quietly hands you a lesson—clear communication, mental-health resources that don’t disappear after the cameras leave, local trust you can’t rebuild in the middle of chaos. I finished feeling strangely optimistic: we really could avoid the worst reruns if we remember these stories.

Skip the pundit memoirs. Read this if you want to know what the last pandemic felt like on the ground and why that memory might be our best vaccine against the next one.

[Bee Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before the Next Crisis: Untold Stories of Public Health and Why They Matter by Tista S. Ghosh ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ghosh brings readers back into the pandemic through real people's stories. It blends statistics with lived experience to provide a complete analysis of the COVID years. This book is absolutely hindsight 20/20, and that's exactly what we need! Ghosh breaks down both the wins and failures from a public health perspective with clarity and insight. The book isn't about pointing fingers—it's about learning and preparing. 💡 This will be utilized as a resource for generations to come. 📚

Thank you to Columbia University Press for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review! 🙏

[T. Shefman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book. There have been all kinds of pundits analyzing the pandemic, but this book is from the perspective of everyday people. You get to hear from Americans firsthand - those who lost their businesses, dealt with mental health problems in their community, and/or experienced harassment and cruelty as a result of the pandemic. This book is not just a policy book - it’s a history book. And I think future generations will be reading this for years to come to better understand one of the most impactful events of the 21st century. I think this book should be incorporated into high school or college curriculum so we don’t forget the lessons of the historic global event.

[Bulu Mitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking read. The stories sent me back to the Covid-era in a deep, sensory way. As I read, I could literally feel the anxiety, the confusion, the palpable tension that was so pervasive at the time. But this time, with the author’s easy-to-grasp explanations, I was able to understand why certain steps were taken, as well as how various mistakes were made. I think this is a must-read for people in the health policy arena, to avoid similar mistakes when the next health challenge arises. I also think everyday folks like me would benefit from reading these stories so we better understand public health.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, especially the different perspectives of people from healthcare, business, education and other areas. The stories are compelling and the narratives added by Dr. Ghosh are excellent. Dr. Ghosh’s insights were valuable and I loved the key takeaways. I thought the recommendations were outstanding. Overall this is a great book that I hope will be widely read. Thank you to Netgalley and Columbia University Press for the advance reader copy.

[NaiGnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful and interesting read. It’s a history of the lived experience of Covid across the country - from the viewpoint of a wide range of people. It made me appreciate the varied perspectives and experiences of the pandemic in ways that I had never considered before. Dr Ghosh doesn’t pass judgement on anyone. She just shares what we experienced. And it read like a novel! Highly recommend it.

[Adam Kirschner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book that should be required reading for both policymakers and the general public. Too often in thinking about public health, and specifically the pandemic, experiences are reduced to statistics and numbers. This book brings those statistics to life through personal stories and narratives, while providing concrete recommendations based on those real life experiences. Highly recommend this book!

[Swapan Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

If a book could be a documentary, this would be it. The firsthand accounts of people from all walks of life (during the pandemic) made me imagine a tv screen with each of them talking, sharing their experiences. The stories weave together beautifully to recreate the chaos and confusion of the pandemic. And they help shape concrete recommendations for the future that policymakers should pay attention to. Highly recommend this for anyone. Just be prepared to relive your own COVID anxiety!

[Priti Bhardwaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy and interesting to read. The personal stories interwoven with policy, history and first hand experiences from a variety of perspectives gave the impact of the pandemic a much more nuanced picture. It brings depth and humanity to a topic that could easily feel dry—yet is undeniably important. It strikes a thoughtful balance between the personal and the political, as well. Accessible and thought provoking read.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expertly written perspectives of the value of public health, its unique expertise distinct from the healthcare system, and how it all fell apart during the COVID pandemic. The first chapters include insightful analogies to explain a public health approach, and the stories from the field during the pandemic are a vivid reminder of all we tried, how we struggled, and all that we lost.

[Pooja Banga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for providing me a free copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.


This book is quite well researched but the formatting of the book really makes it difficult for the reader to get a better experience .

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an insightful and important read. I loved the fact that the perspectives were from just ordinary people, not only scientists or healthcare professionals. Well done!