The influenza pandemic of 1918-19 appeared suddenly at the end of the First World War and with explosive impact took the lives of at least 30 million people worldwide. Spreading rapidly across the globe; it defied all previous understandings of the disease; striking the youngest and healthiest individuals most acutely and confounding the doctors and governments who struggled to contain it. In this volume; Susan Kingsley Kent presents an overview of the disease; detailing its symptoms; tracking its spread; and offering insights into the medical community's understanding of and reaction to the pandemic. Documents from period newspapers; medical journals; and government publications; as well as letters; journal entries; memoirs; and novels written by survivors and medical staff; provide a variety of perspectives from six continents and illuminate the impact of the pandemic — from the lives of children orphaned by the flu to colonial rebellions for which the pandemic served as a major catalyst. Document headnotes; maps and illustrations; a chronology; questions for consideration; a selected bibliography; and an index enrich students' understanding.
#1334798 in Books Thomas Dunne Books 2011-12-06 2011-12-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 233.93 x .81 x 6.14l; 1.11 #File Name: 0312576560336 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. mostly a repeat of pre-revolution; revolution and post revolution ...By david e gibbsmostly a repeat of pre-revolution; revolution and post revolution conflicts between Indians; the British; the French and the colonies. very little about influence of beaver trade on early colonies. the extensively over use of the phrase as well as; as well; distracted the reader from the subject matter.0 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Historically InformativeBy wiliam martineauHave not had a chance to finish reading this Historical book. So far; so good with the info that i've gathered.15 of 17 people found the following review helpful. Not the best on the blockBy historybuffA Savage Empire is a nice; readable popular account of the way people treated each other horribly in the early years of the settlement of the continent. It does not say a lot about the fur trade; to learn more about which was the reason I picked it up. It provides interesting details about Washington's encounter with the French at Fort Necessity near present day Pittsburg that started the French and Indian War in America--that the French claimed they were on a diplomatic mission--and about why alcohol was called "firewater" by the Indians. But I didn't find it very satisfying; mostly because it does not provide any references or authorites for its statements.I may be old fashioned; or it may be my training in history and in law; but I look with suspicion on works of history that do not provide footnotes of some kind so that when a statement peaks my interest; especially when it is contrary to what I have read before; I can find the source of the assertion. This book has no footnotes. It has a bibliography; and although this seems to be increasingly thought of sufficent in the publishing world; I do not find it adequate. For example; the author says that the practice of scalping predates the arrival of Europeans in North America. I've read otherwise; so I would like to know the source of this view; but; alas; there is no source or reference provided.So; this is a easy to read book if you didn't know that people were generally nasty to each other as the Europeans were invading North America. Otherwise there are other books to provide you with more meaty introductions to the period. As for the fur trade;a book that does not mention the use of wampum to "pull the beaver out of the woods" as a colonial governor of Pennsylvania remarked;is pretty unsatisfying.
