The Hot Zone

Rating:
Summary: I Can't Believe This Is Non-Fiction!
Review: This was such a great book. The entire time I was reading it I had to keep reminding myself that it was real, that this actually happened. I thought that Richard Preston, the author, did a wonderful job of researching this and did an awesome job with description. This gruesome tale was so realistic it made me want to been in a space suit at times. If you have never read this book its a must. I have never read a book like it before. If you want to see the movie that was based on this book, Outbreak, don't expect it to be the same as the book. The movie is very different, but I still enjoyed it. This horrifying encounter with the Ebola Virus in the book definitely gives a wake up call to readers. The scary part is that you can't see it, smell it, hear it, feel it, or taste it. But if you get it, you have a 90 to 100 percent chance of dying within 12 days. Imagine that! Talk about a horror story, well this isn't, this is real and I learned a lot from this. I learned that these lethal viruses are still with us today and that Mother Nature has a lot more control than we give her credit for.

Rating:
Summary: Exciting Yet Gut Wrenchingly Scarey
Review: When one of the world's deadliest viruses shows up in a Reston, Virginia monkey house, the CDC and USAMRIID jump into action. The Hot Zone covers the Reston strain of the Ebola virus and the account of the scientists whose job it is to kill it. In this wonderful book, Richard Preston fuses nonfiction with narrative storytelling to create a chilling and horrifying account of Ebola in The Hot Zone. His powerful writing style leaves the reader on the edge of their seats for the entire book. Simultaneously he terrifies the reader about what may happen if Ebola is released, yet still compels them to read on. A warning to the faint hearted, however: this book leaves nothing to be imagined when it comes to describing what happens when the Ebola virus afflicts a human. This book exposes how vulnerable the world is to viruses and plagues. A wonderful line in the book illustrated this by saying "we are a plane ride away from a pandemic." Through grippingly realistic accounts of the plight of Ebola stricken victims, I now know how utterly helpless humans are at the hand of Ebola. Upon completion of this book, I have gained a mixed feeling of fear for the future and a renewed sense of faith in the medical community. A thrilling and horrifying read, I recommend this book to those who are not afraid to peer into the terrifying world of one of the greatest threats to mankind, the Ebola virus, and the struggles of the brave humans whose job it is to protect us from it.