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Plagues and Their Aftermath: How Societies Recover from Pandemics
"Jenkins has organized his book around themes, and as he explores them, he leads the reader back and forth through history, pointing out parallels in humankind’s responses to different epidemics...thoroughly researched and cogently written..." -- New York Journal of Books
A look at the long history of epidemics and pandemics provides an enthralling account of what we can expect of a post-COVID world
In a concise, authoritative, and gripping telling, Brian Michael Jenkins — one of our leading authorities on national security and an advisor to governments, presidents and CEOs — provides a masterly account of what kind of future the planet might be facing ... by looking at the world's long history of epidemics and discerning what was common about their aftermath.
From a plague in Athens during the Peloponnesian War in 430 BCE, to another in 540 that wiped out half the population of the Roman empire, down through the Black Death in the Middle Ages and on through the 1918 flu epidemic (which killed between 50 and 100 million people) and this century's deadly SARS outbreak, plagues have been a much more relentless fact of life than many realize.
The legacy of epidemics, Jenkins observes, is not only one of lives lost but of devastated economies and social disorder, all of which have severe political repercussions.
Thus, each chapter of Plagues and Their Aftermath draws on those historical precursors to focus on one particular aspect of their What happens to political systems? What happens in the area of crime and terrorism? Do wars happen? What are the effects on cultures? What was the impact of widespread fear and public hysteria, of increased suspicion and scapegoating, of the spread of rumors and conspiracy theories?
Jenkins' sobering analysis is riveting and thought-provoking reading for general readers and specialists alike, and throws welcome light into what many fear is a dark future.
A look at the long history of epidemics and pandemics provides an enthralling account of what we can expect of a post-COVID world
In a concise, authoritative, and gripping telling, Brian Michael Jenkins — one of our leading authorities on national security and an advisor to governments, presidents and CEOs — provides a masterly account of what kind of future the planet might be facing ... by looking at the world's long history of epidemics and discerning what was common about their aftermath.
From a plague in Athens during the Peloponnesian War in 430 BCE, to another in 540 that wiped out half the population of the Roman empire, down through the Black Death in the Middle Ages and on through the 1918 flu epidemic (which killed between 50 and 100 million people) and this century's deadly SARS outbreak, plagues have been a much more relentless fact of life than many realize.
The legacy of epidemics, Jenkins observes, is not only one of lives lost but of devastated economies and social disorder, all of which have severe political repercussions.
Thus, each chapter of Plagues and Their Aftermath draws on those historical precursors to focus on one particular aspect of their What happens to political systems? What happens in the area of crime and terrorism? Do wars happen? What are the effects on cultures? What was the impact of widespread fear and public hysteria, of increased suspicion and scapegoating, of the spread of rumors and conspiracy theories?
Jenkins' sobering analysis is riveting and thought-provoking reading for general readers and specialists alike, and throws welcome light into what many fear is a dark future.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionScience
224 pages, Paperback
Published September 20, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 12, 2025
A detailed look at how societies have dealt with pandemics in the past and how it’s not so different from what we’ve experienced with covid-19 despite our medical advances: from public distrust of medical professionals and government officials to how the public treats each other post-pandemics.
I wouldn’t call this a very hopeful read but I learned a lot and I felt Jenkins made everything easy to follow without ever straying away from being informative. This does read a lot like a meta-analysis paper!
I wouldn’t call this a very hopeful read but I learned a lot and I felt Jenkins made everything easy to follow without ever straying away from being informative. This does read a lot like a meta-analysis paper!
September 11, 2022
I thought this was decent book about the recurring issues of global pandemics. From the earliest pandemic to in 400 BC to the current Covid 19. I enjoyed the author's research and detailed explanations about how pandemics effect every aspect of life on the planet. This was better than I thought it was going to be and a learned a lot about the reconstruction time, which we are all in now with Covid 19.
Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley, Brian Michael Jenkins and Melville House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 9/20/22
Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley, Brian Michael Jenkins and Melville House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 9/20/22
March 28, 2023
If this book taught me anything, it's that there are no original thoughts, no original protests, and no original reactions. People will always find reasons to distrust scientific data, the government reaction will always be insufficient, and diseases will always find a way.
September 28, 2023
Brian Michael Jenkins is a well known expert on conflict, irregular warfare and global security who advises along the spectrum of US presidents to corporate clients. I enjoy his straightforward perspective.
Throughout history, plague and war have been binary stars of one another. As such, the author is well qualified to point out the economic, social, political and military fallout after a cycle of disease. In fact, he helpfully organises each chapter around those topics.
I picked up a copy for a few reasons. I wanted to read about a personal interest of mine, the Plague of Athens in 430 BCE during the Peloponnesian War. His comments on the catastrophic losses and legacy deepened my understanding of the situation. Secondly, I am interested in disease as a trigger for war, suspicion, terrorism and fear. Again, this book is informative.
I’m not sure if anything will come as a surprise to the reader but where this book shines is in explaining exactly why and how this happens. He convincingly fills in the gaps in between and the details that no one else seems to talk about. In fact, there are several situations he describes that helped me to extrapolate for other macro triggers.
Looking at history truly allows us to predict the future. I doubt there is much humans have to endure today that we haven’t endured many times in the past.
His writing style is intelligent, accessible and not high handed. Great read. Excellent references.
Throughout history, plague and war have been binary stars of one another. As such, the author is well qualified to point out the economic, social, political and military fallout after a cycle of disease. In fact, he helpfully organises each chapter around those topics.
I picked up a copy for a few reasons. I wanted to read about a personal interest of mine, the Plague of Athens in 430 BCE during the Peloponnesian War. His comments on the catastrophic losses and legacy deepened my understanding of the situation. Secondly, I am interested in disease as a trigger for war, suspicion, terrorism and fear. Again, this book is informative.
I’m not sure if anything will come as a surprise to the reader but where this book shines is in explaining exactly why and how this happens. He convincingly fills in the gaps in between and the details that no one else seems to talk about. In fact, there are several situations he describes that helped me to extrapolate for other macro triggers.
Looking at history truly allows us to predict the future. I doubt there is much humans have to endure today that we haven’t endured many times in the past.
His writing style is intelligent, accessible and not high handed. Great read. Excellent references.
November 8, 2022
(Audiobook) This relatively concise work looks at the history of pandemics, noting that things we saw during COVID in 2020 were not alien or first seen. Protesting public health measures, economic and military actions to fight the pandemic or those fighting the pandemics…these have happened before and will likely happen in the future. The author, who normally focuses on conflict, sees in the pandemic the genesis of future conflicts and disputes. There isn’t much optimism for resolving future problems, especially if said pandemic is worse than what we saw for COVID. There are lessons to be gleamed from this one, but it is not the definitive work on the subject. Worth a read, but maybe not dwelt upon.
December 3, 2022
An interesting digest that delves into the repercussions past plagues have had on societies. Mr Jenkins pulls on data throughout all of recorded history to trace back origins of certain outbreaks and speculate as to what some plagues may have been according to current medical thought. Chapters seemed a bit erratic and did not flow as well as I would have wanted. More of an overview of pandemics. Hardly a good reference material, it would make for a good starting point for those interested in the basics.
January 6, 2023
Fascinating, chockful of startling revelations (some spurious). incl. that the Ukraine invasion is due in part to COVID, there were about 20 (!) waves of bubonic plague that hit the world, coverup and denial is nothing new (1831, Britain; 1892 Hamburg; 1911 Naples; 1900, San Francisco -- city officials went way, way out of their way to deny there was an epidemic), Ben Franklin wrote about disease denial, vaccine furor, resistance...
I would have given this five stars were it not clearly an academic paper spun out to book length.
I would have given this five stars were it not clearly an academic paper spun out to book length.
November 29, 2022
Felt a little bit biased. Very interesting though.
October 12, 2023
A cursory review of epidemics and pandemics throughout history and their impact on civilization and human progress.
November 5, 2023
Audio. It’s okay, somehow I was hoping for more and this was a light skim.
August 4, 2024
3.5 stars
February 8, 2025
Extremely biased, which is fine, but the cover isn’t what the book is about.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews