Influenza Books

Michael Greger's "Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching" is more terrifying than anything a horror writer could imagine, since it depicts a real-life doomsday scenario that seems poised to occur very soon; indeed, the new H5N1 strain of influenza, known as "bird flu," has mutated into a form that can be transmitted by human contact, though not yet on a massive scale, meaning a mass outbreak is more a question of when, not if.

Whereas humans generally contract the disease by ingesting contaminated birds, or being in frequent contact with them, bird flu could blanket the globe when the virus has learned to jump easily from human to human. The author writes: "One day soon, experts fear, with more and more people becoming infected, the virus will finally figure out the combination -- the right combination of mutations to spread not just in one elevator or building, but every building, everywhere, around the globe. One superflu virus. It's happened before, and experts predict it many soon happen again."

Dr. Greger sets the stage for what could come by giving readers a grisly account of a previous avian influenza outbreak: the 1918 flu pandemic, in which 50 to 100 million humans perished. These were gruesome deaths, with blood oozing from eye sockets as the victim's lungs liquefied. Fatalities were so abundant that officials were unable to keep up with burying the corpses. It seems this was merely a sample of what's in store for humanity. "As devastating as the 1918 pandemic was," Dr. Greger writes, "on average the mortality rate was less than 5%. The H5N1 strain of bird flu virus now spreading like a plague across the world currently kills about 50% of its known human victims, on par with some strains of Ebola, making it potentially ten times as deadly as the worst plague in human history." One reason, he explains, is the 1918 virus attacked only the lungs, whereas H5N1 shuts down all the internal organs.

"Bird Flu" eloquently contextualizes the subject, giving us a greater understanding of the virus' origins and our critical role in it. The director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States, Dr. Greger examines bird flu from every angle, creating a meticulously researched work that traces how agricultural, scientific, environmental, political and economic forces have conspired to transform a virus that once threatened only waterfowl into a "highly pathogenic avian influenza" destined to lay waste to large segments of human population.

Among the stops on the author's bird flu reality tour is President George W. Bush's decision in April of 2006 to lift the ban on poultry products from China -- a country well known for its recent outbreaks of avian influenza -- possibly in return for China's agreement to drop its mad cow disease-related ban on U.S. beef imports. (One disease for another, perhaps? No trade deficit there.) Other troubling highlights include the world's inadequate hospital capacity and the inability to create a vaccine, or enough of it, to combat a virus that kills half its victims. In other words, we are as ill-prepared for avian flu today as we were in 1918. And, as Dr. Greger notes, not only is H5N1 worse than what our grandparents faced, but 21st-century transportation means a virus can travel around the planet in 24 hours, not a year.

The book is also a sobering lesson in how many of our human ailments, from the common cold to AIDS, have come from our oppression of animals, especially the practice of breeding and raising them for food. (Dr. Greger notes that human influenza began with the domestication of ducks 4,500 years ago.) Yet authorities refuse to confront the obvious cause of this "virus of our own hatching," preferring instead to devote their resources to containing the outbreak by culling chickens and turkeys and extolling the virtues of well-cooked meat.

Even without the looming pandemic, "Bird Flu" reminds us that eating animal flesh can be deadly. Dr. Greger writes: "For the same reason that people don't get Dutch Elm Disease or ever seem to come down with a really bad case of aphids, food products of animal origin are the source of most cases of food poisoning, with chicken the most common culprit." He notes that although the USDA asserts that proper cooking methods kill all viruses, including bird flu, 76 million Americans still suffer food poisoning every year and an estimated 5,000 die from food-borne illness. The average American kitchen, it seems, has become a biohazard, with pathogenic bacteria found on food-preparation surfaces, sinks and utensils. Dr. Greger quotes flu expert Albert Osterhaus, who concluded that "the gastrointestinal tract of humans is a portal of entry for H5N1."

Although pandemics seem inevitable, Dr. Greger's landmark book suggests an obvious (some might say radical) solution: the elimination of intensive poultry production. Perhaps this is more wishful thinking, given the world's ever-growing appetite for cheap animal protein, but others in the scientific community are also supporting this recommendation, so we may at least see improvements in the way agribusiness operates. "Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching" could herald dramatic changes in farming practices, finally driving decision-makers to critically examine not only how this virus came to be, but how we can curtail it and future diseases lurking within animal factories around the globe.

Mark Hawthorne, author of Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism

I didn't want to read this book. Maybe you don't either. But you must. And when you do, you'll find that the author has made it easy, and even entertaining, for you to learn everything you never wanted to know about bird flu.

Michael Greger writes in an engaging and accessible style that will keep you turning pages as he guides you through the history of zoonotic (animal-based) diseases and explains how contemporary factory farming and meat-packing practices not only make the emergence of new diseases more likely but also place consumers at risk of food poisoning by everyday microorganisms like E. Coli and Salmonella. Despite his somber subject matter, Greger is upbeat, giving us the bad news in a way that energizes us to do something about it.

It can happen here. It has happened here. The 1918 influenza pandemic that killed more Americans than World War II was a bird flu. The next pandemic will be too. We all need to know what we might be able to do to prevent or mitigate that pandemic. You need to what to do to protect yourself and your loved ones when the pandemic comes. Read this book now and make sure that the public policy makers who are supposed to be looking out for you read it too.

Watching a pandemic unfold and take shape before your eyes is like watching paint dry. It is an agonizing process, slow and painful. But at the end, the product is there for all to see.

This is the book to read while watching the paint dry. Like Mike Davis' excellent "The Monster at Our Door," Dr. Greger has done a lot of the heavy lifting for you. He has read countless books, scientific papers, newspaper and magazine articles along with medical/scientific journals and produced the definitive work on avian influenza for the lay reader, decision-maker and concerned citizen.

Along the way, Dr. Greger also shows us the principal underlying cause of the spread of H5N1 (factory farming of chickens and other poultry) and supports his theories with mountains of data, opinion and observation -- much of it directly from the commercial poultry industry he takes to task for putting the world in the shape it is in, bird flu-wise.

Certain passages contain the most relevatory things about food production I have read since Upton Sinclair. It would not take much more to turn me into a vegetarian! I now seek free-range chickens to consume.

Speaking of consume: Once you have read (in order) The Great Influenza (Barry), The Monster at Our Door (Davis) and Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own hatching (Greger), you are ready to dive into the scientific literature yourself. Have a go at all three of these excellent books.

It is amazing how much is hidden from the public eye. This author does a great job of explaining how the avian flu is VERY probable. You will never want to eat chicken or eggs again after reading this one and learning about overcrowding, filth, and treatment of chickens and how the avian flu is mutating because of the conditions that we (humans) create. I highly recommend this book.

BIRD FLU: A VIRUS OF OUR OWN HATCHING opens not with H5N1, the modern day "bird flu virus" which has the potential to mutate into the deadliest pandemic that the world has ever seen, but with H1N1, the influenza virus responsible for the 1918 flu pandemic. In just two short years, an estimated 50 to 100 million people perished as World War I raged on.

As described by author Michael Greger, MD, in chilling detail:

"What started for millions around the globe as muscle aches and a fever ended days later with many victims bleeding from their nostrils, ears, and eye sockets. Some bled inside their eyes; some bled around them. They vomited blood and coughed it up. Purple blood blisters appeared on their skin. [...] [The Chief of the Medical Services, Major Walter V. Brem] wrote that `often blood was seen to gush from a patient's nose and mouth.' In some cases, blood reportedly spurted with such force as to squirt several feet. `When pneumonia appeared,' Major Brem recounted, `the patients often spat quantities of almost pure blood.' They were bleeding into their lungs."

Yet, H1N1 had a "low" (relatively speaking) mortality rate of 2.5% to 5%. Compare that to H5N1, which thus far has killed 55% of those infected - and one must wonder why the possibility of bird flu pandemic is confined to occasional media reports that are quickly dwarfed by the latest Hollywood gossip. Is bird flu-inspired panic just another example of media sensationalism?

Not so, argues Greger. From 1918 he transitions seamlessly to the research laboratories of today. Greger, who is Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at The Humane Society of the United States and "an internationally recognized lecturer on public health issues", launches into Viral Biology 101, explaining in layman's terms how a virus reproduces, spreads, mutates, and interacts with its host. Though he's dealing with (arguably) dry subject matter, Greger manages to keep the discussion engaging via the liberal use of colorful analogies and sharp, witty prose. This isn't your high school bio textbook.

Once a basic understanding of viruses has been established, Dr. Greger addresses modern animal agriculture, specifically, how it's especially conducive to the transmission and evolution of avian influenza. Animals, particularly "broiler" (meat) and "laying" (egg) hens, are packed into windowless sheds by the thousands; by the time they're fully grown just 45 days later (in the case of broiler hens), they don't even have enough space to spread their wings or turn around. Chickens are selectively bred for fast growth or maximum egg production - much to the detriment of their immune systems. Rather than improve the birds' ability to stave off disease (which would come at the expense of their "energy efficiency"), large-scale corporate "factory farmers" opt to pump their livestock full of antibiotics, thus contributing to bacterial resistance in humans. Add to this mix the fact that chickens literally spend their short lives wallowing in their own feces (and sometimes even that of previously butchered flocks), and you've got the perfect environment for a virus such as H5N1 to thrive.

And thrive it has. The billions of chickens, turkeys, and pigs raised and slaughtered for food annually act like "petri dishes" in which avian influence can mingle, swapping genetic material in order to mutate, gradually evolving into a strain more lethal and infectious to humans. Their compromised immune systems and unsanitary and stressful living conditions only facilitate this process. Despite numerous attempts at eradicating the virus - for example, by wiping out entire flocks of chickens, to the tune of millions of birds at a time - H5N1 (along with additional viral strains) can still be found on many farms, throughout the world.

While some critics - particularly those in the animal agriculture industry - dismiss this as scare mongering, Greger argues his points convincingly, and offers a wealth of evidence to support his claims. Indeed, his "Reference" section spans an impressive 90 pages! Throughout the text, he quotes a myriad of experts in the field, including Robert Webster, Kennedy F. Shortridge, and Michael Osterholm, as well as health professionals from the USDA, CDC, FAO, and WHO. Even "food scientists" admit - in the comfort and familiarity of their own trade journals, mind you - that the industry is flirting with disaster. The general - nay, unanimous - consensus seems to be "when, not if."

A pandemic is inevitable, that is, unless we swiftly and dramatically move away from factory farming methods towards less intense animal agriculture methods, such as free range farming. Additionally, this must be preceded by a temporary global moratorium on meat and egg production, in order to eradicate the bird flu virus(es) already present in farm animals worldwide. None of which is bloody likely to happen.

Thus, Greger urges readers to take precautions before a pandemic hits. He recommends obtaining and filling a prescription for Tamiflu (the more effective of two antivirals used to treat avian influenza), as well as stocking up on necessary groceries and such - TODAY. Greger also advises readers on how to purify water with bleach, and concoct cheap, homemade hand sanitizer. Oh, and do make sure you have plenty of liquor, cigarettes and ammo on hand, just in case the world reverts to the barter system! Though Greger reiterates and even elaborates upon government-issued pandemic guidelines in this last section, I didn't exactly walk away with a sense of empowerment. The rest of BIRD FLU was so horrifying that stocking up on canned veggies and medical masks won't do much to ease my troubled mind.

Whether you're a vegan, a carnivore, an average Jane, a state Senator, an animal welfarist, or a hunter, BIRD FLU is one book you can't afford to ignore. For too long, we've been playing chicken with our food supply - and nature may soon see fit to reward our taste for cheap meat with a global pandemic.

This book was recommended on the John Tesh radio show. Although I haven't completed the book in its entirety contents are written in an amusing & informative manner, not dry & clinical as I would've expected. One can take away as much information as they chose to do. Information and tips are both interesting & scary depending on one's percepiton. Useful tips that we can all benefit by using; albeit some already known.

This little book offers a lot of information for a small price tag. So many things us "germ freaks" had not even considered are covered in this well written book. I had to buy one for myself and one for my daughter because I knew we would want to be able to have our own copy to refer to later. A good investment to make us aware of all the information this book cover in a clever manner.

I bought this book hoping for some good background information that would allow me to extrapolate my own germ-freak tips - like more information on how, precisely, germs live and spread. I wanted some scientific information, at least a little bit, about how it all works!

I didn't get that, but what I did get was pretty darn good. This book is jam-packed with tips about avoiding germy people, how not to touch nasty things, socially acceptable things to say to avoid doing germy things that people always seem to want to do, and new cleaning and washing tips to help stop the germs.

While I was expecting something more than I got, I am still darn happy with the book and would highly recommend it. It was fun and easy to read and I did get a LOT of new tips out of it. Nobody likes to get sick and this book will help you avoid it.

Allison Janses' "The Germ Freak's Guide to Outwitting Colds and Flu" could also have been titled " A Consciousness Raiser for the Germ Awareness Challenged." Before I read the book, I didn't realize how little I knew about those little guys who can, and all too often do,cause anything from annoying colds to life threatening illnesses. What I found most enlightening where the sections dealing with the various places that they congregate. The book is very well organized and written in a witty, entertaining style. As a psychologist,I couldn't help but notice that the author is writing from a genuine place of caring and concern for the welfare of others. A change in behavior requires a compelling reason to approach things differently. "The Germ Freak's Guide to Outwitting Colds and Flu" accomplishes that mission in a wonderful manner.

This is a great book to help prevent you and your family from getting sick. When I brought my premature twins home from the hospital I was told it was very important to keep them from getting sick that first year because they were at such a high risk for contracting RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) which can be fatal. This book helped keep the germs away. Despite the unpleasant subject, it is a fun read. The author is really funny.
Dr. Jenn Berman
www.DoctorJenn.com
Author of The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids

I read the book called A Time Of Angels by Karen Hesse. This is a historical fiction book.
This book is about this girl named Hannah that gets separated from her parents and has to move to her Aunts house in West Boston. After she got there she started working in a store to help her Aunt with food & clothes.
Weeks later she got the flu and got real sick. The flu had killed ten thousand people so far. After she gets her energy back. Tanta Rose and her went to try to get her family together. After month of hard work she got her family together.
I didn't like this book because it was boring. It barley had any action. If you are boring and like boring things you should you should read this book.

I got this book at a school event where we could choose one book (for free) to take home. I chose this one because I thought it sounded interesting, and although that was over a year ago I still read it. The author has a beautiful way of writing the story so that you can imagine what you would feel like in Hannah's shoes.

I was frankly shocked to read reviews that found this book boring. I've read all of Karen Hesse's works, and find this to be far and away the best. I am a fifth grade teacher, and can usually count on my 14-year-old daughter to let me take her cast-off books to supply my classroom; this was one that she won't part with, even after several years. "A Time of Angels" is high on my list of books to recommend for my higher-level readers.

The story line, taking place during the influenza pandemic of 1917-18, is grippingly realistic -- entire neighborhoods are nearly wiped out by the dreaded disease, and panic-stricken residents don't really know how to deal with the enormous problem. Meanwhile, Hannah and her two younger sisters are left in Boston with an aunt, since her mother is trapped in WWI Russia caring for relatives and her father is off fighting in the war -- and neither have been heard from.

When influenza tears Hannah's family apart, circumstances take her far away where she ends up in the care of a gruff old farmer who has been isolated from other townsfolk because of his German heritage. The relationship that forms between the two of them is sweet and tender, and Hesse crafts it beautifully.

Truly, Hesse's characterizations and descriptions make this book nearly magical to read. She weaves in bits and pieces of Jewish culture, American history, and wonderful mystical interludes with an angel who saves Hannah's life more than once.

Boring? Don't believe it. This is a book you shouldn't miss!

With all of the recent events our country has been through I believe this book should be read in classrooms everywhere. Taking place during WW2 you are drawn into the difficult, poor and often painful life of a young girl. As she loses loved ones to the plague, she herself is spared and she believes she may have seen an angel. Circumstances lead this young jewish girl to live with an old German man who the town shuns, but she learns to love. I learned that every war has two sides, and tolerance is the key. The young girl ends up happy in the end through small bits of fate in her favor, but I believe there were many different endings that would have worked for the girl - just like us.

I truly enjoyed this book by Karen Hesse. As a future teacher I will add this to my list of historical fiction in teaching social studies and language arts. I had no idea so many people died of the flu in 1918 - nearl two and one half times the number that died during WWI! Karen Hesse does an excellent job of placing ourselves into the life of a young Jewish girl named Hannah. She and her two sisters must live with her two aunts in a crowded Boston apartment because their father is fighting in the war, and their mother is trapped in Russia. She must eventually leave Boston alone because the flu is ravishing the city and her loved ones. She gets lost and is also stricken with the deadly flu. She is nursed back to health by a German farmer and a beautiful friendship develops. She eventually returns to Boston with the help of an angel to find the fate of her family. This is a must read book!

This book is a perfect storm of readability. Greenfeld approaches the virus like a murder mystery, hunting it down with his narratives of scientists and doctors looking for clues, and the exotic settings of China and Hong Kong draw you in. It's informative, well researched and covers every level of the SARS story, from meetings in Beijing to the daily lives of doomed apartment-dwellers in Hong Kong highrises. I read it in five days, and it's 400 pages. I would recommend it for anyone remotely interested in virus outbreaks, which should be all of us. Great book!

This is a very interesting look at the outbreak of SARS, told in a journalistic narrative voice by the editor of Asia's Time Magazine. It takes you through the eyes of many of the doctors and victims involved, and gives a strong sense of the feel of the time, the various cover ups, and how the discoveries unfolded. A quick and interesting read.

A fiesta for infomaniacs. Fascinating microbiology, world history, and an especially nice introduction to China today.

Favorite vignette: Q: Is it possible SARS can be transferred from humans to livestock?

A: You will be held accountable for your words!

My wife read this book first and urged me to do so. I'm glad I did. As a non scientist, I found Greenfeld's writing and analysis very understandable and riveting. From patient zero, a chop shop employee in one of Hong Kong's teeming "Wild Flavor" eateries, to the pursuit of patients in the steppe of China's rural areas, he has put together a concise and chilling treatise on how fragile life in this world can be, and make you wonder when another killer virus will emerge. I recommend this book to every infectious disease specialist out there and any lay person who wants a great summary on the killers that are waiting for their genetic lottery tickets to get punched.

Karl Taro Greenfeld (KTG) in his book follows the SARS virus from its early beginnings in Guangdong Province (China) in late 2002 right to its end during 2003. He starts off with the rumours flying around Guangdong in late 2002 and then follows the virus around to wherever it goes. He also covers the science effort to identify it and the efforts to contain it.

KTG calls SARS the first pandemic of the 21st century. Perhaps it should be called the first pandemic which didn't happen. The figures of infected people and casualties he quotes at the beginning of each chapter are an approximation only as KTG admits at the end of the book and I can well believe that because when you read about the virus's impact on China you would think that the casualty figures should be higher.

China comes out badly in all this. As official policy dictates that the virus does not exist, it does not exist and therefore it spreads virtually unhindered until official policy changes, which eventually it did. But guess how many lives could have been saved if official policy had changed faster or if it hadn't been formulated in the first place. When you read KTG's bit on how China works you can see that it will happen again. That's the terrifying bit I took home from reading this book. Imagine a virus that outpaces the speed at which bureaucracy moves. We could be all dead by the time they make up their minds.

Ignorance is not Bliss when humanity is threatened with life endangering epidemics. Verona Fonte has created an essential handbook to guide us in step-by-step preparations for survival in case if an outbreak of the bird flu. While the subject is serious and packed with important information, the text is clear and lively, leavened by wit and humor. We are encouraged, not only to understand the nature of the disease, how it spreads, how to avoid contamination, how to take care of ourselves and loved ones, but also to create webs of mutual support within our communities. Verona Fonte reminds us of the necessity to be informed and prepared, but also to assist each other in a spirit of intelligent compassion. I heartily recommend it.

Bird Flu, What to Do provides the reader with an excellent overview of the issues we are likely to face during the upcoming influenza pandemic. The book is written in an easy to understand style that makes for pleasant reading despite the difficult subject matter. Dr. Fonte's liberal use of humor helps make her discussion of these unpleasant topics easier to digest. I recommend this book to anyone trying to come to terms with the possibility of a Bird Flu pandemic and who needs more information about this issue to help them decide what they should do. This book has an important role as a good way to introduce the topic to someone new to the issue. While it touches on the difficulties we are likely to encounter during a pandemic, it does so in a reassuring way, avoiding the dramatization of the worst case as found in some other books on the subject.

Grattan Woodson, MD
Author of the Bird Flu Manual

This book should be required reading for everyone living in this country (and other countries as well). If everyone took its message to heart and followed its advice, we would all be a lot safer. No need for color-coded alerts or political hype when Bird Flu - What to Do is only a bookstore or online order form away.

Bird Flu What To Do: Prepare To Survive by Verona Fonte Ph.D. (a psychologist for over twenty years' experience) with contributions from five experienced doctors, is a straightforward instruction manual for readers of all backgrounds about what to do and how to survive in a pandemic, particularly a bird flu pandemic. Chapters address how to prepare, including storing water and making sure water is safe to drink, what food and other goods to get and how to store it, healthy habits to adopt now to strengthen one's immune system, networking for a safer community, caregiving tips, what to do when death occurs, and much more. Bird flu specifically is extremely virulent and easily contagious simply from being in proximity to the sick; Bird Flu What To Do does not pretend to have a magic solution to the grim realities of a pandemic, but rather presents all the emergency advice that medical science and common sense have to offer in no-nonsense terms. Highly recommended.

Fonte has shown us that no matter what the crisis in our lives, if we prepare by being informed, knowing our neighbors and community, and face the challenges ahead with courage, we can weather any crisis the future may bring. I recommend this book highly!

Carolyn North

A very informative and well-written book describing colds, flu, sinusitis, pneumonia and other common winter ailments. Dr. Schachter tells you what's happening with the ailment, how to treat it, and best of all, how to prevent it for the future.

We find this book helpful in our household as parents of young children (and we've had plenty of colds in our house) and recommend it to other parents.

The practical advice (and the clearly defined science behind it) makes The Good Doctor's Guide a very worthhile read for you and your health. A great buy!

This book was very helpful. It was a good guide to what I can do to help myself when I get a cold or the flu and included ways to protect against contracting it (which I wasn't aware of until I had read it).

I picked up 3 copies for my brothers and sister because they have kids and I think this book can help them understand how to keep their households healthy.

And because of the great timing, I was able to stay healthier this cold and flu season!

Few books written by health professionals can bridge the gap between providing comprehensive advice and information on a health issue and doing so in an interesting, readable and practically applicable manner. Dr. Schachter has achieved this and more. This book is "colds and Flu" for Dummies without treating the reader as one. There is a ton of good, common sense advice for cold and flu prevention through modifying activities of daily living. In addition, he informs the reader about the powerful alternative and nutritional approaches to maintaining everyday health that are available to everyone. This is a book I am happy to have in my reference library.

This is a very readable book that gives you the information your doctor often does not take the time to tell you. The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu is smart, practical and well researched. Not only does Dr.Schachter explain how to prevent and treat colds, he explains the science behind his advice. I also really liked the way he combined natural and traditional remedies. Excellent job!

I am not really ready to review this book quite yet having just read through it quickly and at this moment, being sick with a cold. But I thought it was urgent to say one thing and then return to edit this review later:

In the chapter called "Treatment" the author recommends (among other things) Zinc nasal spray, using it every two hours. Well I purchased Zicam yesterday for the first time and it seemed to really help... But then I read up about it and learned that there are several lawsuits claiming it caused people to permanently lose their sense of smell and taste after just one use. I believe those people (their stories were very compelling), and will never use a Zinc nasal spray (or gel) again. The reports are not limited only to Zicam, by the way.

To learn more, try looking up the following article from The Los Angeles Times online: "Zinc for colds losing its luster Users of some products reporting loss of smell, taste" By Jane E. Allen Tuesday, March 30, 2004...or "Federal Lawsuit Refocuses Attention on Serious Risks Posed by Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel" dated December 21, 2005...or just do a general search.

To be continued when I'm feeling better.

I couldn't put this book down!!! Both of the books in this series are excellent.

Alyssa's story is one of the most intrigueing and wonderful of our time. I have read this book several times and it gets better every time! I can't say enough positive comments about this story. It is a must read for everyone!!!!

This book was riveting from the first page! I couldn't put it down and ignored children, laundry, and dishes until I reached the end. Adams brilliantly weaves her characters through an 'end of days' experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat (At least it kept me on the edge of mine!) Can't wait for book three!

"Refining Fire" held my interest right to the end. I didn't want it to finish. The characters are so real, I can't get them out of my head and I'm intrigued to see how the story progresses in Volume 3. Linda Paulson Adams is a writer to be admired and followed, in both the LDS and National market. She faces life square on--and deals with possible future events in ways that made me gasp. A galloping good saga!

Linda has done it again! Her first book Thy Kingdom Come: Prodigal Journey, the first in this three part story was awesome as well! But this one was even better! I am sooooo anxious for the last one!

If you can read this book without crying, you have no heart. It is a powerful, easy to read story of a town trying to survive one of the most horrendous events in the past 100 years. A good job of drawing you in and keeping you in until the last page.

If you are concerned about the bird flu, don't read this book. It will scare you to death. And a real tear-jerker. Good easy read, but powerful.

It has a lot of heart and historical significance. Your heart goes out to those unfortunate enough to have endured this tragedy. It also showed me how quickly this disease traveled the globe. Very scary and touching read.

While reading this book, I was amazed at the force in which the influenza of 1918 took effect. You hardly had time to grieve the loss of one loved one, when the next one would fall victim. In the age of "SARS" it's a must read!

Pandemic, when a disease gets so out of hand, it spreads all over the world. "The Difference Between Life and Death: Outliving the Flu Pandemic of 2009" is a prophecy stating that a world wide epidemic of flu is inevitable, and through certain steps, the event is outliveable for many. Seeking to create more awareness and preparation for the event along with advice on what to do when the time comes, it offers optimism in the fact of what can be done to fight the fates. "The Difference Between Life and Death" is up for consideration for those who agree in a potential worldwide epidemic that could come soon.

This book was hard to put down. I read it from cover to cover without stopping and immediately started reading it over again. It was thought provoking and exciting. The author did his homework about the deadly virus. He did an exceptional job of presenting the facts about the pandemic we are sure to face, maybe sooner than later. The information is transferred to the reader while it is simultaneously infused in to a story about a family's pioneering spirit, and their carefully planned efforts to avoid the deadly flu. I think he thought of everything. He did a great job of making me question how prepared my family is for such an event. It motivated me to share this information with others and to apply what I learned for my own family's survival.

Whether you are worried about the upcoming pandemic, or not, you will find it hard not to enjoy the story.

As a published author myself, as well as someone deeply involved in the day-to-day "survival" of the United States, I believe I am well qualified to remark on "The Difference Between Life and Death." Dennis Miner's novella is most certainly a work of love and passion; love for his family and passion for his cause. He strives here to warn the public of the potential of an event that is not only possible, but potentially devastating for civilization as we know it as well. Yet, he uses his love of family and a stress on family values to provide a beacon of hope in a holocaust. Kudos to Dennis for a work well done!

Dennis Miner has written a very entertaining novella about family survival during the coming influenza pandemic. His realistic story of coping with this emergency is as interesting as it is informative for anyone concerned about this issue. Dennis's characters and settings are rich in detail. His family's adventures and the challenges they face during the pandemic emergency kept me on edge. The scenes are well drawn; so much so once I thought I smelled a whiff of smoke from their small cabin's chimney. This is where he and his extended family braved the cold during their first winter in the wilderness. I enjoyed this book because it made clear a number of the problems that we are likely to confront during the pandemic times to come. It is both a good read and an informative one. I highly recommend it.

Grattan Woodson, MD
Author of The Bird Flu Manual and The Coming Pandemic Catastrophe

I am an MIT engineer (BSME MIT, 1978) and Author of When Technology Fails, and I highly recommend this book. Meticulously researched, this book provides the best information that I have found anywhere on the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918, Bird Flu, and the use of homeopathic medicines for fighting influenza of all kinds. A valuable book to have on hand in any flu season, this book might save your life should the future repeat the past when some new flu virus mutates into a virulent form that spreads across the world in a global pandemic. Highly recommended!

I read this book with great interest. It offers a great historical background as well as covers the symptoms of influenza very well. Liked how it covered for instance coughs in many different ways - under the sounds, expectoration, etc. for quick reference under the individual headings for those symptoms rather than just naming the individual remedies. Very good reference book which is easy to turn to in case of fevers, coughs, body aches, etc. to differentiate. I would not necessarily recommend this to someone without homeopathic training as they might not know how to properly use the remedies and might be overwhelming, but I would recommend to other practitioners to add to their book shelf. Glad I bought it.

This book provides the most detailed information on how Homeopathy helped save lives during the 1918 Spanish Flu and will be invaluable in finding remedies to treat symptoms of the next pandemic. This book is for anyone that is convinced the traditional medical community will not be ready to treat the next outbreak of Influenza that is being predicted. Anyone interested in protecting their families from the high mortality rate of an influenza pandemic should have this book in their home. It is reported that even if a vaccine is found for the ever changing virus, it will be months before it could be produced and distributed. Homeopathy is readily available and since most people of the Spanish Flu era died within 24-48 hours, immediate treatment is essential.