Plagues in the Nation: How Epidemics Shaped America

by Polly J. Price

An expert legal review of the US government’s response to epidemics through history—with larger conclusions about COVID-19, and reforms needed for the next plagueIn this narrative history of the US through major outbreaks of contagious disease, from yellow fever to the Spanish flu, from HIV/AIDS to Ebola, Polly J. Price examines how law and government affected the outcome of epidemics—and how those outbreaks in turn shaped our government.Price presents a fascinating history that has never been fully explored and draws larger conclusions about the gaps in our governmental and legal response. Plagues in the Nation examines how our country learned—and failed to learn—how to address the panic, conflict, and chaos that are the companions of contagion, what policies failed America again and again, and what we must do better next time.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science, Health, Politics, Audiobook

271 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2022

Reviews

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A book that looks at various epidemics in the history of the United States: Yellow Fever, Small Pox, et al. In all of these chapters, anachronism and an odd sort of ambivalence pervade the pages. There is a definite and completely unnecessary political bias as well. The closer the book gets to the present times the more apparent and intrusive it becomes.

A wasted opportunity.

[Elizabeth Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was interesting, but I can’t commend the writing. It seemed the author tried to make covid-19 the central theme, instead of taking the time to thoroughly explain each pandemic and its effects on the nation. The writing was disorganized, though seemingly well researched. An okay book, but it took a while to finish.

[J. Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly quick read, summarizing the legal aspects of community responses to epidemics in US history. One major conclusion from this read is that we as human beings and as US citizens have learned nothing from past experiences with epidemics and disease outbreaks. While government response could a great strength, our own human weakness and propensity for self-preservation rears its ugly head and mucks up the works in the name of individual freedom. Lack of education and distrust in scientific approaches feeds this rebellion against regulations for the greater good. The author does a good job of pointing out these weaknesses and offers a wishlist of legislative items in the epilogue.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh...this book had promise as a really good overview of the history of pandemics in our country. Instead the author filled it with political bias. It should be titled Politics During a Pandemic. The earlier pandemics were well recorded, but the more recent ones, 1980's on, were full of political jabs and her ideas of how it could have gone better, ignoring the Constitution and states and individual rights. Her arguments for the man who wrote the thesis were weak and an afterthought to justify her own thoughts. Not to mention, the book is already outdated since a bunch of the "science" has changed.

[Carol Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting history of disease outbreaks in the US and the resulting legal fights. I knew the courts first heard a case fighting vaccine mandates during the smallpox outbreak, but did not know of the many quarantines used during yellow fever panics - to name just a couple of examples. This is a new book with a section discussing the Covid 19 Pandemic.

[Peggy McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very revealing to read about America's history of dealing with epidemics. We've always sucked at it! in addition, we've almost always found some other group of people to villify and blame for disease. Very interesting.

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as I can tell, we have not progressed as a society in the US for dealing with public health concerns. The same issues in the 1918 flu pandemic were the same issues we had in the Covid pandemic, especially with the politicization of the responses.

[Shana Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Leah Clifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting review on how plagues have been handled in the US through history and the effects of public and government hesitation (COVID) and overreaction (Ebola).

[Lupine Smile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but very dry, almost text book dry.

[Nelly Kir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would give more stars if not for woke description of latest pandemic. Otherwise, very informative

[Denise Auger]

EXCELLENT BOOK. HOSTING THIS AUTHOR AT AN EVENT THIS WEEK. lOVED THE TLAK IT WAS SUPER INTERESTING AS IS THE BOOK!