Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today

By: David P. Clark

Narrated by: Summer McStravick

The stunning, hidden interconnections between microbes and humanity.

AD 452: Attila the Hun stands ready to sack Rome. No one can stop him - but he walks away. A miracle? No... dysentery. Microbes saved the Roman Empire. Nearly a millennium later, the microbes of the Black Death ended the Middle Ages, making possible the Renaissance, Western democracy, and the scientific revolution. Soon after, microbes ravaged the Americas, paving the way for their European conquest.

Again and again, microbes have shaped our health, our genetics, our history, our culture, our politics, even our religion and ethics. This book reveals much that scientists and cultural historians have learned about the pervasive interconnections between infectious microbes and humans. It also considers what our ongoing fundamental relationship with infectious microbes might mean for the future of the human species.

©2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as FT Press (P)2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as FT Press

Critic reviews

"With wit and humor, the author turns death, an ever-heavy topic, into an engrossing exploration of the course of mankind." ( Publishers Weekly)

Cheery and chirpy plagues and catastrophes

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Perhaps. There are nuggets of information that create interesting speculations on the impact of infectious diseases on the course of history: the rise and fall of civilizations and religions, conquerors and the conquered. Sound science. A little loopy in construction, as some anecdotes make multiple appearances in the text.

What didn’t you like about Summer McStravick’s performance?

The narrator went to smile school, and read everything in sing-song cheeriness, as if reading a children's book to a slightly dense toddler. The jarring impact of hearing a voice like that talk about pestilence, cholera, devastation and death is, to say the least, distracting. Also, the mispronunciations made me wonder if there was adult supervision. Honestly, "prelate" is *not* pronounced pree-late.

Any additional comments?

On balance, if you're a science fan, grit your teeth and get through it.

An Adventure in Listening

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, the way the narrator keeps you on the edge of your seat (earphones actually) is amazing. As a history book it is second to none - as a scientific thriller it is excellent. Absolutely enjoyable.

Rgds
Patrick

What does Summer McStravick bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great voice

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Think

Amazing Introduction!

This book is an excellent introduction regarding genetics and DNA. It is fairly long, approximately 7 hours or so, and at times can be a little dry. Overall though I have not seen any works that do a better job at introducing the basic principles of genetics and applying real life examples. To date I have listened to it twice and will likely listen to it more down the road.

Great Book

this was a great book, but the Narrator could stand to learn proper pronunciation of diseases, microbes, and Egyptian gods.

Thouroughly enjoyable

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Highly recommended, a clear eyed view of historical events highlighting the role of infections in shaping them. Spanning from early history to recent events.

Awesome perspective on human civilization!

Would you listen to Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today again? Why?

We don't think about it, but that is what makes us tick - germs and genes.
I'm lucky to have stumbled upon this book - it has already changed my life.
I'll never see the world the same again.

What other book might you compare Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today to and why?

I think of another eye-opener like

Have you listened to any of Summer McStravick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't recall.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, definitely and I did!

Any additional comments?

Is there any translation into any other European language so I can share it with my friends?

Very informative, well written.

If you could sum up Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today in three words, what would they be?

Very good book, probably better off read than listened to by non biologically-oriented people (some basic knowledge in biology will do).

Have you listened to any of Summer McStravick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Good performance

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely not

Any additional comments?

Good book

Informative

I felt this book was very informative but there was much repetitive info in the book. I would still recommend listening to it.

This is a bad audio book.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I can see anybody who can enjoy a book that has undergone such bad editing (was he even edited at all?). The narration is unpleasant and book, as mentioned, has not undergone real editing (evident in the lack of structure and the endless repetition of the same ideas).

Has Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today turned you off from other books in this genre?

No.

What didn’t you like about Summer McStravick’s performance?

The book, as mentioned, has not undergone real editing (evident in the lack of structure and the endless repetition of the same ideas). The ideas themselves are interesting, but are masked by the massive flaws of the book.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Anger- definitly.

Disappointing

I had hoped for more, but this book is pretty much what you would expect from a biologist playing at being a historian. There is a wealth of information about germs and genes, but only the most simplistic explanations of how they have shaped civilization.

The narration, while technically very good, is also woefully inappropriate to the topic, with tragic death and human suffering described in an almost cheerful tone of voice.