The Devil's Flu - by Pete Davies (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A gripping account of the 1918 flu pandemic and the modern-day hunt for this elusive and deadly virus

In 1918, a flu virus more lethal than any that has come along since swept through the world, from the remotest villages in Arctic climates to crowded U.S.cities to the battlefields of Europe, killing forty million people. Yet, despite its devastating toll and the probability that other deadly pandemics await on the horizon, it was relegated to a footnote in history. The Devil's Flu is the extraordinary story of 1918's forgotten tragedy and of the global scientific community's effort to avert another such disaster.

The 1918 flu still so intrigues and frightens experts in the field that in 1998, a group of respected scientists journeyed to the Norwegian Arctic Circle in search of the mysterious killer. In The Devil's Flu, Davies captures the excitement of the hunt and the intense rivalries within the scientific community, and paints a vivid portrait of the eccentric scientists bent on capturing the prize information that could hold the key to our future safety. And as far as the next pandemic is concerned, scientists agree: it's not a question of if, but when.

Review Quotes

"Rich in interest and truly alarming in its prognosis, this is a book that deserves to be read." --The Observer (London)

"Enthralling ... read this book; you won't be disappointed." --Spectator (London)

About the Author

Pete Davies is the author of a number of critically acclaimed best-selling works of nonfiction published in the United Kingdom, as well as the forthcoming book Inside the Hurricane. He lives in West Yorkshire, England.