Rabid: A Cultural History of the World’s Most Diabolical Virus by Bill Wasik
I really enjoyed this book. Not only did it hit some of my favorite -ologies (epidemiology, anthropology, folklore) but I found it well written and engaging.
It starts out with historical accounts of rabies, known as “lyssa” by the ancient Greeks and personified by a woman with a dog’s head as a cap. (eg. Was Hector’s ferocity in battle due to rabies?) The book covers ancient cures and knowledge of this dread disease.
The middle of the book ventures more into the psychological implications of this dread disease. It talks about the connection between rabies and vampirism, and rabies and the legend of the werewolf. It even delves into zombiesm, and expands on conjectures as to how these monsters relate to our cultural history with the disease.
The book also talks about rabies in America, and of Louis Pasteur and his quest for a vaccine against this disease. It ends with modern epidemiological information about rabies, from raccoon outbreaks in Central Park, to dogcatchers in Bali. The authors also touch on modern attempts to find a cure for rabies, their varying success and failure rates, and how our understanding of this disease may help us develop drugs for other diseases.
All in all, a great book for people who like culture and science.
