Book Review: Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues by Jonathan Kennedy
Genre(s): Non-fiction / History / Science
Book Synopsis:
According to the accepted narrative of progress, humans have thrived thanks to their brains and brawn, collectively bending the arc of history. But in this revelatory book, Professor Jonathan Kennedy argues that the myth of human exceptionalism overstates the role that we play in social and political change. Instead, it is the humble microbe that wins wars and topples empires.
Drawing on the latest research in fields ranging from genetics and anthropology to archaeology and economics, Pathogenesis takes us through sixty thousand years of history, exploring eight major outbreaks of infectious disease that have made the modern world. Bacteria and viruses were protagonists in the demise of the Neanderthals, the growth of Islam, the transition from feudalism to capitalism, the devastation wrought by European colonialism, and the evolution of the United States from an imperial backwater to a global superpower. Even Christianity rose to prominence in the wake of a series of deadly pandemics that swept through the Roman Empire in the second and third centuries: Caring for the sick turned what was a tiny sect into one of the world’s major religions.
By placing disease at the center of his wide-ranging history of humankind, Kennedy challenges some of the most fundamental assumptions about our collective past—and urges us to view this moment as another disease-driven inflection point that will change the course of history. Provocative and brimming with insight, Pathogenesis transforms our understanding of the human story.
Review:
As someone with a background in microbiology, I knew I had to read this book as soon as I saw it. Microbes—and the diseases they cause—have always fascinated me.
What I enjoyed most about this book was how it talked about human history as a whole and how microbes have shaped so much of it. From prehistoric times and the evidence that disease may have played a role in homo sapiens becoming the dominant human species, to the modern era and how we’re still grappling with how to eradicate and treat diseases effectively, it was a really interesting read.
Equally fascinating was imagining what our world would look like right now if ancient plagues hadn’t occurred when they did. I think human history would have unfolded very differently without those pesky microbes to intervene.
Pathogenesis’ focus is on human history. While science is discussed, the book is not bogged down by scientific jargon; it’s written in a very accessible manner and would appeal to many readers. Overall, I found it engaging, informative, and thought-provoking.
Publisher’s website: penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2254258/jonathan-kennedy/
