Yellow Fever Black Goddess

Starred review from September 2, 1996
Wills combines a vivid, gripping history of the impact of diseases upon civilization with a sobering survey of current plagues such as AIDS and resurgent tuberculosis. He examines bubonic plague in the Byzantine Empire, which reemerged eight centuries later as Europe's Black Death; dispassionately reviews the unresolved controversy over whether Columbus had syphilis and introduced it to Spain; and follows the devastating course of malaria in West Africa, bejel (a syphilis-like disease) among Middle Eastern Bedouins and such scourges as yellow fever; yaws, an infectious, contagious tropical disease; typhoid; and Ebola. A biology professor at UC-San Diego, Wills maintains that pathogens have helped shape the diversity of complex ecosystems as well as humans' immunological and biochemical diversity. Furthermore, he suggests, some germs have made a "Faustian bargain," an evolutionary compromise, altering their structures to become dependent on the specific behavior of their chosen hosts. This more balanced, less alarmist report deserves a place alongside Laurie Garrett's The Coming Plague and Richard Preston's The Hot Zone. Photos.

In the tradition of The Coming Plague and other recent books exploring the origins, discovery and treatment of disease, Yellow Fever Black Goddess traces the development of ancient diseases, such as cholera (the Black Goddess), as well as more "modern diseases," such as AIDS. Richard Davidson helps to make this rather dense topic accessible. Davidson sets a good pace, moves smoothly through the scientific terms, and reads the text as if he's accompanying the listener on a learning adventure that he too is seeking to understand. For many, particularly those who are not generally students of these diseases, the audio format may be a great advantage as it helps one avoid getting bogged down in the detail that Davidson passes through easily. J.E.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

December 2, 1997
Richard M. Davidson's narration of Wills's journey through the occurrence of plagues up to the present AIDS epidemic (LJ 9/15/96) is well paced and distinct. Wills's work is based on the experience of scientists and physicians; he explores the origins of disease and their movement with the corresponding migration of human populations. Wills offers a positive attitude forged with a faith in technological and natural forces. Lively anecdotes make this a popular work, but the intricacies of pathogen life will be more appreciated by those with a more solid background in genetics and microbiology. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries.--Catherine Swenson, Norwich Univ. Lib., Northfield, Vt.