Synopses & Reviews
Bed bugs. Few words strike such fear in the minds of travelers. In cities around the world, lurking beneath the plush blankets of otherwise pristine-looking hotel beds are tiny bloodthirsty beasts just waiting for weary wanderers to surrender to a vulnerable slumber. Though bed bugs today have infested the globe, the common bed bug is not a new pest at all. Indeed, as Brooke Borel reveals in this unusual history, this most-reviled species may date back over 250,000 years, wreaking havoc on our collective psyche while even inspiring art, literature, and musicandmdash;in addition to vexatious red welts.
and#160;
In Infested, Borel introduces readers to the biological and cultural histories of these amazingly adaptive insects, and the myriad ways in which humans have responded to them. She travels to meet with scientists who are rearing bed bug coloniesandmdash;even by feeding them with their own blood (ouch!)andmdash;and to the stages of musicals performed in honor of the pests. She explores the history of bed bugs and their apparent disappearance in the 1950s after the introduction of DDT, charting how current infestations have flourished in direct response to human chemical use as well as the ease of global travel. She also introduces us to the economics of bed bug infestations, from hotels to homes to office buildings, and the expansive industry that has arisen to combat them.
Hiding during the day in the nooks and seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards, dresser tables, wallpaper, or any clutter around a bed, bed bugs are thriving and eager for their next victim. By providing fascinating details on bed bug science and behavior as well as a captivating look into the lives of those devoted to researching or eradicating them, Infested is sure to inspire at least a nibble of respect for these tenacious creaturesandmdash;while also ensuring that you will peek beneath the sheets with prickly apprehension.
Review
“A searing narrative.”
—The New York Times
“In this keen and exceptionally well-written book, rife with surprises, narrative suspense and a steady flow of expansive insights, ‘the worlds most diabolical virus conquers the unsuspecting readers imaginative nervous system. . . . A smart, unsettling, and strangely stirring piece of work.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Fascinating. . . . Wasik and Murphy chronicle more than two millennia of myths and discoveries about rabies and the animals that transmit it, including dogs, bats and raccoons.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“Rabid delivers the drama of Louis Pasteurs courageous work developing the rabies vaccine at the same time it details the diseases place in our cultural history, taking us from Homer to the Bronte sisters to Zora Neale Hurston to Richard Matheson. . . . All along the books prose and pace shine—the book is as fast as the virus is slow.”
—The Seattle Times
“A very readable, fascinating account of a terrifying disease….Wasik and Murphy grippingly trace the cultural history of the disease. . . . Rabid reminds us that the disease is a chilling, persistent reminder of our own animal connections, and of the simple fact that humans dont call all of the shots.”
—The Boston Globe
“Compelling. . . . Murphy and Wasik give life, context and understanding to the terrifying disease. Like the virus itself, this fascinating book moves quickly, exploring both the marginalized status and deadly nature of the virus. And as the authors trace the influence of rabies through history, Rabid becomes nearly impossible to put down.”
—New Scientist
“An elegant exploration of the science behind one of the most horrible way to die.”
—Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail
“This book is not for the squeamish. Yet those who are fascinated by how viruses attack the body, by the history of vaccination and by physicians efforts to save the most desperately ill patients will want to read it. There is also a happy ending: scientists are working to harness rabies as a potent drug delivery vehicle.”
—Scientific American
“[Wasik and Murphy] offer an in-depth look at a disease so insidious that it even turns our best friends—dogs—against us. The pair convincingly link the history of rabies…with the history of mans fear of nature and the unknown, and our own latent capacity for beastliness.”
—The Daily Beast
“Thrilling, smart, and devilishly entertaining, Rabid is one of those books that changes your sense of history—and reminds us how much our human story has been shaped by the viruses that live among us.”
—Steven Johnson, author of The Ghost Map
“Rabies has always been as much metaphor as disease, making it an excellent subject for cultural history. . . . As Wasik and Murphy document . . . the horror of rabies has been with us since the beginning of human civilization.”
—Bookforum
“Funny and spry. . . . Its a rare pleasure to read a nonfiction book by authors who research like academics but write like journalists.”
—Alice Gregory, n+1
“Readable, fascinating, informative, and occasionally gruesome, this is highly recommended for anyone interested in medical history or the cultural history of disease.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Take Bill Wasik, one of our most perceptive journalistic storytellers, have him join forces with Monica Murphy, scholar of public health, and you end up with this erudite, true-life creep show of a book. It turns out that the rabies virus is a good bit more fascinating and at least as frightening as any of those blood-thirsty monsters that have stalked our fairy tales, multiplexes, and dreams.”
—Donovan Hohn, author of Moby Duck
“Ambitious and smart.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Terrible virus, fascinating history in Rabid.”
—NPR
“As entertaining as they are on rabies in culture, the authors also eruditely report on medicine and public health issues through history, from ancient Assyria to Bali to Manhattan in the last five years, showing that while the disease may be contained, it may never be fully conquered. Surprisingly fun reading about a fascinating malady.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The ultimate weird dad book.”
—Very Short List
“The rabies virus is a microscopic particle of genes and proteins. And yet it has cast a fearful shadow over all of human history. Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy have produced an eerily elegant meditation on disease and madness, dogs and vampires. It's as infectious as its subject.”
—Carl Zimmer, NPR contributor and author of Parasite Rex
“A fun read, rivaling a Stephen King novel for page-turning thrills.”
—The Awl
Review
and#8220;A searing narrative.and#8221;
and#8212;The New York Times
and#160;
and#8220;In this keen and exceptionally well-written book, rife with surprises, narrative suspense and a steady flow of expansive insights, and#8216;the worldand#8217;s most diabolical virusand#8217; conquers the unsuspecting readerand#8217;s imaginative nervous system. . . . A smart, unsettling, and strangely stirring piece of work.and#8221;
and#8212;San Francisco Chronicle
and#160;
and#8220;Fascinating. . . . Wasik and Murphy chronicle more than two millennia of myths and discoveries about rabies and the animals that transmit it, including dogs, bats and raccoons.and#8221;
and#8212;The Wall Street Journal
and#160;
and#8220;Rabid delivers the drama of Louis Pasteurand#8217;s courageous work developing the rabies vaccine at the same time it details the diseaseand#8217;s place in our cultural history, taking us from Homer to the Bronte sisters to Zora Neale Hurston to Richard Matheson. . . . All along the bookand#8217;s prose and pace shineand#8212;the book is as fast as the virus is slow.and#8221;
and#8212;The Seattle Times
and#160;
and#8220;A very readable, fascinating account of a terrifying diseaseand#8230;.Wasik and Murphy grippingly trace the cultural history of the disease. . . . Rabid reminds us that the disease is a chilling, persistent reminder of our own animal connections, and of the simple fact that humans donand#8217;t call all of the shots.and#8221;
and#8212;The Boston Globe
and#160;
and#8220;Compelling. . . . Murphy and Wasik give life, context and understanding to the terrifying disease. Like the virus itself, this fascinating book moves quickly, exploring both the marginalized status and deadly nature of the virus. And as the authors trace the influence of rabies through history, Rabid becomes nearly impossible to put down.and#8221;
and#8212;New Scientist
and#160;
and#8220;An elegant exploration of the science behind one of the most horrible way to die.and#8221;
and#8212;Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail
and#160;
and#8220;This book is not for the squeamish. Yet those who are fascinated by how viruses attack the body, by the history of vaccination and by physiciansand#8217; efforts to save the most desperately ill patients will want to read it. There is also a happy ending: scientists are working to harness rabies as a potent drug delivery vehicle.and#8221;
and#8212;Scientific American
and#160;
and#8220;[Wasik and Murphy] offer an in-depth look at a disease so insidious that it even turns our best friendsand#8212;dogsand#8212;against us. The pair convincingly link the history of rabiesand#8230;with the history of manand#8217;s fear of nature and the unknown, and our own latent capacity for beastliness.and#8221;
and#8212;The Daily Beast
and#160;
and#8220;Thrilling, smart, and devilishly entertaining, Rabid is one of those books that changes your sense of historyand#8212;and reminds us how much our human story has been shaped by the viruses that live among us.and#8221;
and#8212;Steven Johnson, author of The Ghost Map
and#160;
and#8220;Rabies has always been as much metaphor as disease, making it an excellent subject for cultural history. . . . As Wasik and Murphy document . . . the horror of rabies has been with us since the beginning of human civilization.and#8221;
and#8212;Bookforum
and#160;
and#8220;Funny and spry. . . . Itand#8217;s a rare pleasure to read a nonfiction book by authors who research like academics but write like journalists.and#8221;
and#8212;Alice Gregory, n+1
and#160;
and#160;and#8220;Readable, fascinating, informative, and occasionally gruesome, this is highly recommended for anyone interested in medical history or the cultural history of disease.and#8221;
and#8212;Library Journal (starred review)
and#160;
and#8220;Take Bill Wasik, one of our most perceptive journalistic storytellers, have him join forces with Monica Murphy, scholar of public health, and you end up with this erudite, true-life creep show of a book. It turns out that the rabies virus is a good bit more fascinating and at least as frightening as any of those blood-thirsty monsters that have stalked our fairy tales, multiplexes, and dreams.and#8221;
and#8212;Donovan Hohn, author of Moby Duck
and#160;
and#8220;Ambitious and smart.and#8221;
and#8212;Publisherand#8217;s Weekly
and#160;
and#8220;Terrible virus, fascinating history in Rabid.and#8221;
and#8212;NPR
and#160;
and#8220;As entertaining as they are on rabies in culture, the authors also eruditely report on medicine and public health issues through history, from ancient Assyria to Bali to Manhattan in the last five years, showing that while the disease may be contained, it may never be fully conquered. Surprisingly fun reading about a fascinating malady.and#8221;
and#8212;Kirkus Reviews
and#160;
and#8220;The ultimate weird dad book.and#8221;
and#8212;Very Short List
and#160;
and#8220;The rabies virus is a microscopic particle of genes and proteins. And yet it has cast a fearful shadow over all of human history. Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy have produced an eerily elegant meditation on disease and madness, dogs and vampires. It's as infectious as its subject.and#8221;
and#8212;Carl Zimmer, NPR contributor and author of Parasite Rex
and#160;
and#160;and#8220;A fun read, rivaling a Stephen King novel for page-turning thrills.and#8221;
and#8212;The Awl
Review
and#8220;Our encounters with bed bugs used to be limited to wishes for a good nightand#8217;s sleep. But now theyand#8217;re everywhereand#8212;in hotels, apartments, and even subways. In her fascinating book Infested,and#160; Borel chronicles the renaissance of this frightful insect and leaves us marveling at their remarkable biology.and#8221;
Review
andldquo;A fun, wild romp through the wily world of bed bugs and the folks hunting them down. Borel travels from Brooklyn bedposts to Bohemian benches on the trail of this burgeoning pest, itching for the reader as she goes. Infested unveils the secrets of these frankly weird bloodsuckers, right down to their unlikely sex lives, and introduces readers to the obsessives looking to stop their march into your own bed. A terrific science book.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Borelandrsquo;s captivating writing quickly draws you into the mysterious and creepy tale of the bed bug.and#160; Both a journey of self-discovery and an exploration into the world of this fascinating insect, Borel shows us that the story of the bed bug is ultimately intertwined with theand#160;history of the human species.and#160; You probably donand#39;t like bed bugs, but you will love this book!andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Borel hasand#160;doneand#160;the seemingly impossible: written an absolute page-turner of a book about bed bugs. Infested isand#160;as engaging as it is erudite,and#160;as fun as it is informative. This is popular science writing at its best.andrdquo;
Review
In an odyssey that begins with understandable loathing and ends with surprising sympathy, Borel takes us on a smart, subtle, witty journey through the biology and history of the bed bugandmdash;an insect that has been our companion for hundreds of millennia, yet one that we barely understand and have no clue how to control. Borel captures the persistence of the bug, the obsessiveness of its foes, and the eagerness of entrepreneurs to turn a quick profit with no thought for the long consequences. It is impossible to read Infested without experiencing fascination, respectandmdash;and just maybe, a phantom itch.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;For anyone who wants to replace their fear of bed bugs with knowledge.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Borelandrsquo;s investigation into the bedbug renaissance is delightful. Motivated partly by a desire to understand the bedbug infestations sheand#39;d suffered, Borel, a science writer, began interviewing entomologists about the tiny bloodsuckers in 2010 and has been researching them ever since.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;A book about bedbugs is, by necessity, a book about nearly everything: about travel and adventure, about our andshy;relationship to nature, about how scientists solve problems, about trust and whether we view strangers as friends or foes. It is a book about what people will do under extreme circumstances, and about environmental politics, and art and mental illness. It is even a book about kinky sex. Borel deftly takes us through this arthropod microcosm of the universe, as she traces the culture and biology of a resurgent scourge.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Those looking for an in-depth account of what might one day share their home will be considerably enlightened. Just donandrsquo;t leave the book in the guest bedroom.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Borel knows her stuff, but she also knows how to write; her clear and chatty prose turns what ought to be a dreary treatise into an entertaining read. She makes complicated things sound simple. She isnandrsquo;t afraid to tell the boffins when she doesnandrsquo;t get it, and make them spell it out. As well as summarizing their findings, Borel provides a colorful history of their research trips, bringing her interviewees to life.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;The cultural significance and the biology of the insect are the focus of Infested, by science writer Brooke Borel, who has suffered infestations both at home and while traveling. . . . Captivating.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;A personal experience with the reemergence of pesticide-resistant bedbugs in the last decadeandmdash;after their near eradication during the golden era of DDTandmdash;spurs journalist Borel to visit international scientists, exterminators, and industry salespeople in order to research the notorious bloodsucking insects. . . . Her science is solid, and by the end, the reader may feel sympathetically itchy.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;A really smart and funny look at one of manandrsquo;s greatest enemies.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Borel closes with a useful self-help guide, and amusing lists of songs, limericks and literary references. Itandrsquo;s an indication that after her own close encounters she has developed an admirable sense of detachment and proportion. It is essentially what she advises we should all do, if we become the pretty of Cimex lectularius.andrdquo;
Synopsis
An engrossing and lively history of the fearsome and mythologized virus
In the tradition of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Great Influenza, journalist Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy chart the history, science, and cultural mythology of rabies. In the absence of vaccination— as was true for thousands of years, until the late nineteenth century—the rabies virus caused brain infections with a nearly 100 percent fatality rate, both in animals and humans, and the suffering it inflicted became the stuff of legend.
The transmission of the virus—often from rabid dog to man—reawakened a primal fear of wild animals, and the illness’s violent symptoms spoke directly to mankind’s fear of the beast within. The cultural response was to create fictional embodiments of those anxieties—ravenous wolfmen, bloodsucking vampires, and armies of mindless zombies.
From the myth of Actaeon to Saint Hubert, from the laboratories of the heroic and pioneering Louis Pasteur to a journalistic investigation into the madness that has gripped modern Bali, Rabid is a fresh, fascinating, and often wildly entertaining look at one of the world’s most misunderstood viruses.
Synopsis
A maddened creature, frothing at the mouth, lunges at an innocent victim—and, with a bite, transforms its prey into another raving monster. It’s a scenario that underlies our darkest tales of supernatural horror, but its power derives from a very real virus, a deadly scourge known to mankind from our earliest days. In this fascinating exploration, journalist Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy chart four thousand years in the history, science, and cultural mythology of rabies.
The most fatal virus known to science, rabies kills nearly 100 percent of its victims once the infection takes root in the brain. A disease that spreads avidly from animals to humans, rabies has served throughout history as a symbol of savage madness, of inhuman possession. And today, its history can help shed light on the wave of emerging diseases, from AIDS to SARS to avian flu, that we now know to originate in animal populations.
From Greek myths to zombie flicks, from the laboratory heroics of Louis Pasteur to the contemporary search for a lifesaving treatment, Rabid is a fresh, fascinating, and often wildly entertaining look at one of mankind’s oldest and most fearsome foes.
Synopsis
An engrossing, lively history of a fearsome and misunderstood virus that binds man and dog The most fatal virus known to science, rabies—a disease that spreads avidly from animals to humans—kills nearly one hundred percent of its victims once the infection takes root in the brain. In this critically acclaimed exploration, journalist Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy chart four thousand years of the history, science, and cultural mythology of rabies. From Greek myths to zombie flicks, from the laboratory heroics of Louis Pasteur to the contemporary search for a lifesaving treatment,
Rabid is a fresh and often wildly entertaining look at one of humankind’s oldest and most fearsome foes.
About the Author
Bill Wasik is a senior editor at Wired magazine, and was formerly a senior editor at Harper’s magazine. He has written on culture, media and politics. He is also the editor of the anthology Submersion Journalism and has written previously for The Oxford American, Slate, Salon, and McSweeney’s.
Monica Murphy holds a degree in public health from John Hopkins, with a specialty in zoonotic illness in urban areas, as well as a degree in veterinary science fromCornell University. She and Wasik are married and live with their son in Berkeley, California.