Plagues upon the Earth

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This monumental history explores the deep connection between humans and pathogenic microbes, illustrating how our deadliest germs and pandemics stem from our species' success. The narrative intertwines global history with insights from genetics, revealing that our dangerous disease pool is rooted in our evolutionary past and exacerbated by technological advancements. It highlights how the history of disease is linked to slavery, colonialism, and capitalism, exposing the lasting impacts of historical plagues on wealth, health, power, and inequality. The book also chronicles humanity's struggle against infectious diseases, a triumph that has enabled modern life but also destabilized the environment and fostered new health threats. It examines the role of disease in the shift to agriculture, urbanization, transportation, and the dramatic rise in human population. The author presents a fresh perspective on our journey to control infectious diseases, emphasizing the ongoing evolutionary challenges and the adverse effects of modernization that contribute to societal disparities. Ultimately, it underscores the global interdependence of human health and the planet's well-being, placing the COVID-19 pandemic within a broader historical context and prompting reflection on our future direction as a species.