Overview:
With the current situation we’re in with the Covid-19 global pandemic its hard not to notice this book from the New York Times best selling author Kenneth C. Davis. Another well researched work from Davis, this one in particular focuses on World War I and the Spanish flu. One thing that makes this book even more compelling is that it was written 2 years before the Covid-19 pandemic started. If you’re interested in drawing parallels from history to our current situation, this is one book you need to add to your list.
Here is what the book was about:
Davis uses historical accounts from many sources to tell the story of the Spanish Flu and World War I, and how they were connected events. He goes into the first cases of the disease on a military base in Kansas on March 11th 1918, outlines the global impact with estimates by the CDC of 500 million affected and 50 million deaths, and also briefly examines the relationship between disease and war throughout history. Rating: (1 to 5) This titled earned a solid 4.4 based on the engaging way the story was told. While there are a number of historical references, Davis manages to summarize the history, and put together a story that is factual, respectful of the parties involved, and put together in a cohesive accessible way. It was relatively short read and I had a hard time putting it down.
Other Thoughts on The Book
We’ve all learned many key facts about World War I however this book makes those facts come back to you, and tells an engaging story about the people impacted in a way that is relevant to our current time. Davis has a knack for making history relevant, and this book is one of his best; it will make you want to learn more about the topic.