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More copies of this ISBN:Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccineby Jeffrey Kluger
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:The riveting story of one of the greatest scientific accomplishments of the twentieth century, from the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Apollo 13.
With rivalries, reversals, and a race against time, the struggle to eradicate polio is one of the great tales of modern history. It begins with the birth of Jonas Salk, shortly before one of the worst polio epidemics in United States history. At the time, the disease was a terrifying enigma: striking from out of nowhere, it afflicted tens of thousands of children in this country each year and left them — literally overnight — paralyzed, and sometimes at death's door. Salk was in medical school just as a president crippled by the disease, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was taking office — and providing the impetus to the drive for studies on polio. By the early 1950s, Salk had already helped create an influenza vaccine, and was hot on the trail of the polio virus. He was nearly thwarted, though, by the politics of medicine and by a rival researcher eager to discredit his proposed solution. Meanwhile, in 1952, polio was spreading in record numbers, with 57,000 cases in the United States that summer alone. In early 1954, Salk was weighing the possibility of trials of a not-yet-perfected vaccine against — as the summer approached — the prospect of thousands more children being struck down by the disease. The results of the history-making trials were announced at a press conference on April 12, 1955: "The vaccine works." The room — and an entire nation — erupted in cheers for this singular medical achievement. Salk became a cultural hero and icon for a whole generation. Now, at the fiftieth anniversary of the first national vaccination program — and as humanity is tantalizingly close to eradicating polio worldwide — comes this unforgettable chronicle. Salk's work was an unparalleled achievement — and it makes for a magnificent read. Review:"For children today, the word 'polio' means little more than a series of shots, a mundane part of health care. Fifty years ago, however, polio was a dark shadow that arrived every summer, a deep fear hanging over every child and parent. Every year, the disease left tens of thousands of children crippled, paralyzed or, worse, reliant on an iron lung to aid them in breathing. Time magazine senior writer Kluger, coauthor of the bestselling book that was the basis for the movie Apollo 13, tells how polio was beaten 50 years ago in one of the triumphs of modern medicine. The narrative naturally centers on Jonas Salk, whose lab developed the first polio vaccine, but this is by no means a simple biography. Kluger is best when describing science as a team enterprise, and this account offers a keen understanding of the vast machine of people and resources mobilized to combat polio. The book is well researched and accessible, made all the more tense and gripping by the author's depiction of the pre-vaccine world — by describing what it was like to live in fear of polio, Kluger reminds us how joyous and heroic an event its conquest was." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Book News Annotation:Kluger, a senior writer at Time and co-author of the work that became
the movie Apollo 13, turns to a popular history of the drama-packed
struggle to eradicate polio in the mid-20th century. Jonas Salk
eventually became a cultural hero to a generation, but the task
wasn't an easy one. The story, told 50 years after the trials of
Salk's vaccine, involves disease, fear, science, and politics. Each
chapter begins with a b&w photo from the era.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Review:"[I]n this unabashedly laudatory history, the story...is a terrific one. Scientific triumph by a medical hero, described with admiration and lucidity." Kirkus Reviews Review:"...Kluger masterfully fills out [the plotline] with sketches of the many players, crossroads incidents, and scientific politicking....Can't-put-it-down medical-science history." Booklist (Starred Review) Review:"This fast-paced scientific adventure story has all the elements of good drama....Kluger...reminds us that real life and real people can often be far more interesting and exciting than fiction." Houston Chronicle Review:"Splendid Solution is not a heart-pounding page turner. In tone and style, it's a rather old-fashioned historical tale. But in its quiet manner, it's a terrific account, and well-told." Oregonian Review:"...Kluger does a fine job of resurrecting another time and of demonstrating the drama that always attends significant scientific breakthroughs." BookPage Synopsis:Kluger reveals the thrilling story of Jonas Salk's quest to conquer polio in this medical adventure full of rivalries and last minute reversals that culminated in one of the greatest accomplishments of the 20th century. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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