Review: The Spanish Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919: Perspectives from the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas by Mar Porras-Gallo and Ryan A Davis (editors)

Review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

This is a very scientific, political, and academic look at the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918-1919. The first chapter in particular is very medical and difficult for a lay person to grasp. The writing is dry and scholarly. It is very informative, but I was hoping for a more cultural and personal look at the pandemic's influence.

Each chapter is an essay by a different author assessing a different aspect or perspective of the pandemic. Over all, it is very focused on Portugal, Spain and Latin America, which was also a little disappointing. Although it's called the Spanish Flu, it impacted most of the world, but this book only covers certain areas. And while the subtitle does specify "Perspectives from the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas", I was assuming North America was included in that, which it wasn't.

So while it has merit, it was not entirely what I was expecting. It would probably be best suited to academics rather than mainstream readers.

Review: The Assassination of the Archduke: Sarajevo 1914 and the Romance That Changed the World by Sue Woolmans

Received ebook ARC from publisher via NetGalley.
Release date: September 3, 2013

I have to admit, I did not know much about World War I or it’s causes. For starters, I don’t have much interest in military history and the First World War is often eclipsed by the infamous Second. To me, WWI was just an event that took place between the Victorian area and the Depression. I did not have any living relatives who fought in WWI like I do with WWII. While I had some vague knowledge of it involving the three ruling cousins of Britain, Germany, and Russia, as well as the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, I didn’t know much more beyond that. I knew more about the Scottish band named after him than I did of Franz Ferdinand himself.

This book appealed to me because its goal was to examine Franz Ferdinand’s personal life rather than focusing entirely on the politics; without the human side of history, a book will struggle to hold my attention. Beautifully written and easy to follow even if you’re somewhat new to the subject matter, this book accomplished its goal effortlessly. From what I could gather, the author’s sympathetic approach is new and unique and earned it the exclusive approval of many descendants of Franz Ferdinand. Although it paints Sophie as something of a saint, never putting a foot wrong and retaining her tact and dignity in the face of harsh and unfair disrespect and elitism, it is honest about Franz’s shortcomings, mainly that he lacked charm and had a temper only Sophie could calm. Both were attentive and loving parents, raising children who, just like Sophie, had better manners and more class than those of higher rank who constantly sought to remind them of their place.

The politics leading up to the war certainly weren’t left out and strongly addressed in the latter half of the book but the human touch of this really brought this tragic family’s story to life.

Review: Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today by David P. Clark

This is very informative book about the history and evolution of bacteria and viruses and how they have influenced the development of civilization, but I took issue with certain passages such as this:

“The great age of hygiene lasted from roughly 1850 to 1950. The front-line troops in the battle for cleanliness were mostly women. Since the 1950s, women have gradually abandoned the home and ventured forth to find external employment. Hygiene standards in the home have inevitably relaxed. Houses are cleaned less often, laundry is done less often, and both are done less thoroughly. Despite the outbreaks in fast-food restaurants that hit the headlines, most foodborne disease actually occurs in the home and goes unreported.”

I felt like the author was trying to say that women who work full time are putting their families health and hygiene at risk. It was suggestive that a woman’s place is in the home, cooking and cleaning. There was no evidence or stats supplied to support this theory that homes today are less hygienic than 60+ years ago or that even if they are, food poisoning is a direct result of it. Indeed, the author does at least admit that most food-borne diseases go unreported but this means there is no evidence to support his ridiculous claims.

Despite being full of useful information, passages like this unfortunately cause me to question the respectability and intent of the book as a whole. Fortunately, I did not pay anything for it - it was a Kindle freebie once upon a time.