Even though it is mostly US-focused, this is an excellent book to pick up if you want to gain some historical perspective on circumstances and mistakes that help pandemics spread and kill. Way too often, the resemblances with our current reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic sent chills down my spine and made me wonder about our tendency to forget and ignore history.

Rather than providing dry historical facts, the author digs deep into the war-shaped circumstances the helped the spread of the disease in the US, and into the lives of the scientists that were at the forefront of influenza research at the time of the pandemic. I also appreciated the highly informative deep dive into the mechanics of how viruses work and kill. Overall, a highly valuable book that explores the human aspect of the statistics.

Note: I picked up the book based on the 2020 summer recommendations list by Bill Gates; his review of the book is also worth reading.