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Summary: The Historical Signficance of Microparasitic Infection
Review: The book, called Plagues and People, written by William McNeal devised a persuasive argument as he contended that the microscopic world of single and multi-celled organisms played, and still continue to play, a significant part in human history. Because the study of microbes and their effects on humanity are often limited to biological and anthropological inquiries, this notion is a relatively new aspect in the investigation of historical events. Nonetheless, historians did record numerous accounts of illnesses and diseases that swept entire nations such as the Black Death in Europe, the small pox in the New World, and others which rendered these civilizations subject to change. In essence, McNeal furthered these mere accountings of historical events as he studied the consequences of these large-scale infections and how it influenced the eventual interactions between various cultures.
William McNeal displayed a capacity for detail as he traced the relationship between microorganisms and the development of humanity throughout history. He also demonstrated his understanding of social evolution as he paralleled the human-parasite relations with large scale, communal interactions he termed as macro-parasitism. However, there were times he gave too much credit to the microscopic world in shaping the fate of man when history dictates that man was the master of his own destiny and the actions he took either led him to triumphs or failures. Granted the inability of man to defend himself against these invisible assailants limited his choices. Nonetheless, the destiny of humanity was still determined by those choices, limited they may be. AT LEAST WE LIKE TO THINK SO.
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Summary: pestilence and the spreading of religion
Review: Disease circulation has shaped many aspects of human affairs, especially religion. Humans are forced to share the world with diseases, and both must continually adapt to live with one another. When humans alter the environment, they shift the delicate mutual balance between host and parasite, which often leads to widespread epidemics. Humans instinctively search for answers and understanding during a crisis. Pestilence spreads religion like it spreads disease. Christianity had its early beginnings in the cities of Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria where exposure to disease has always been extremely high and sudden death was common. Christians taught that death brought not only a release from pain but also reunited loved in a heavenly afterlife. Moreover, their God's omnipotence gave life meaning in times of disaster and followed them everywhere. Furthermore, the pagans ineffectiveness at explaining random deaths only made the Christian doctrine appear even more desirable. Another reason that disease helped Christianity win out over paganism was their devotion to nursing the ailing. For Christians caring for the sick was a religious duty. Even with no medical training the Christians simple task of administering food and water helped save many lives. Pagans fled and left the sick to fend for themselves. It is not surprising that many pagans who survived were grateful and willing to convert to the Christian religion. These elements helped strengthen the early Christian church at crucial point of its beginning. Christianity also had widespread conversion on an unprecedented level during the Age of Exploration. The Spaniards' arrival in the New World exposed the natives to an array of diseases to which they were vulnerable. The result was catastrophic to the population. It was readily agreed upon by both sides that this pestilence was divine punishment. The Old Testament of the Christian Bible illustrates the plague as a sign of God's displeasure. Also the deities of the Amerindians,it was believed, often behaved irate toward men. The Spaniards preached that God was on their side and had little resistence. The fact that the Spaniards were immune to most of these diseases only strengthened theses beliefs. This must have been an overwhelming experience for the natives. Even though the Spaniards acted brutal and immoral, they lived and the natives were punished by death. Since actions of a few hundred Spaniards had such a profound effect on the population of the Indians, it could only have been looked upon as divine intervention. Each subsequent outbreak only renewed this belief. No wonder Christian missionaries recorded so many converts during this time. Divine intervention can still be seen in Christianity today with the advent of the AIDS virus. Since the disease is more common among drug users and homosexuals, many Christians believe AIDS is God's punishment to the sinful. However, this judgement of people has an adverse effect today by turning many people in need of God away from him. Comparable to the rise of Christianity was the rise Buddhism. Buddhism spread into the Han Dynasty around the first century and remained strong until the ninth century. It is no surprise Buddhism started in India which has always been a great place for disease to propagate. Buddhism explained suffering and offered comfort and care for the sick. Unlike Confucianism, Buddhism rejected worldly wealth and power as illusions. Moreover, Buddhism was fundamentally apolitical, which accorded well to the poverty stricken peasants of India. Buddhist teachers turned away from politics and commanded a destitute life upon their followers. It was in 845 that Buddhism was replaced as the state religion by a renewed Confucianism. Buddhism did remain, however, among the uneducated peasants in China. What is interesting is that Confucianism incorporated moral and intellectual doctrines from Buddhism to protect itself against the charms of future religious beliefs. In conclusion, viruses have been the catalyst in both the rise and fall of many different faiths. Whether or not divine intervention has been the cause of epidemics is an old argument which is still being debated. What is certain, however, is that pestilence has been closely associated with the spread of religious beliefs and has helped shape the religious ideas that reign today.
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Summary: pretty good of disease in society
Review: Diseases has been a big factor in human development. Disease has helped dictate where people have been able to live and create civilizations, helped in the conquest of countries and created a whole series of social ills in congested urban areas. McNeill takes a look at the effects of disease through human society. The first chapter Man The Hunter focuses on disease in early human history. The following chapter Breakthrough to History focuses on the development of agriculture and permanent human settlements. The next chapter, Confluence of Civilized Disease Pools focuses on the role disease had on early civilizations in places such as China and India. The next chapter is Impact of the Mogul Empire and how this early large empire had an effect on disease. The next chapter is Transoceanic Exchanges focusing on the spearding of disease between the Eastern and Western Hempshires and its implications. The last chapter is Ecological Impact of Medical Science Focusing on how humans have been able to control diseas through means such as vacinations. Good book to get a better understanding of history.
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Summary: A very detailed explanation of disease's role in history
Review: Every high school history student knows that the Black Death swept through Europe, and that diseases like smallbox, measles and so on were decisive in allowing the colonization of the Americas. But these two statements while universally accepted, are generally left at that and the causes go unexplored. This book is a very concise history of plagues and what built up to these two grim realities. McNeill goes much beyond these basics and provides in intricate details the events that allowed that to happen. What allowed these disease pools to eventually come into being? This book provides the details to the answer to that question from the early days of civilization in Mesopotamia to the effect that plague had on the periphery of the Roman and Chinese empires to the effect that the Mongols had in fully unifying this disease pool, and once a reality, the devasating effect that they had on the world. In short, if you want to understand in fine detail the causes and events that built up the "eastern hemisphere disease pool", read this book.
Rating:
Summary: A very detailed explanation of disease's role in history
Review: Every high school history student knows that the Black Death swept through Europe, and that diseases like smallbox, measles and so on were decisive in allowing the colonization of the Americas. But these two statements while universally accepted, are generally left at that and the causes go unexplored. This book is a very concise history of plagues and what built up to these two grim realities. McNeill goes much beyond these basics and provides in intricate details the events that allowed that to happen. What allowed these disease pools to eventually come into being? This book provides the details to the answer to that question from the early days of civilization in Mesopotamia to the effect that plague had on the periphery of the Roman and Chinese empires to the effect that the Mongols had in fully unifying this disease pool, and once a reality, the devasating effect that they had on the world. In short, if you want to understand in fine detail the causes and events that built up the "eastern hemisphere disease pool", read this book.
Rating:
Summary: panoramic view of history
Review: History can be written from two major vantage points. From the top of a mountain, with broad brush strokes, showing the major streams and landmarks, the BIG picture. Spenser and Toynbee are such historians, so is this book. The other view is from the trenches, the pieces, the small connections that we find so fascinating and absorbing. I believe that the big picture view of this book is a result of how it came into being as an elaboration of a single constellation of ideas that the author discovered while working on _The Rise of the West_, he found they interesting and continued to build the structure around these ideas in this book. The book is about a collection of related ideas:
Parasitism--as he defines two types macro and micro.
Micro is the form we are familiar with as disease, the times viruses, bacteria, protozoan begin to use us as their energy and food source, to our consternation. He further defines two flavors: epidemic and endemic. Epidemic is the form in bubonic plague that swept Europe for 500 years at regular intervals. endemic is the idea of a parasitic form like the liver flukes that effect irrigated agriculture the world over, or like the civilized childhood diseases that effect the body politic like measles, mumps, smallpox.
Macroparasitism is this author's contribution to the discussion, unique to him as far as i know. Those other human's that prey on the weaker, less organized, less mobile etc. Epidemic macro are the Mongols(which are the topic of what i think is the best chapter in the book) or those horseman like in the movie the "Seventh Samari" who sweep out of the steppes or mountains to seize the harvest. Endemic macro are the priests, kings, emperors, tax farmers, etc who take the hard earned food from the producers without adequate recompense.
Using these ideas he ventures to paint those broad strokes, those vistas in history to show how the major currents, the big pieces fit. To this end the book is very well done, always absorbing, always enough detail to support but not to overwhelm the reader. Yet pithy and curiosity arousing enough to drive you to look into his sources, the real mark of good history.
I was pleased enough to get _Rise of the West_ and will start it next.
thanks for reading the review, i hope you get as much out of the book as did i.
richard williams
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Summary: Better than X-files!!
Review: I couldn't put it down. What a thesis. I imagine real historians might fault McNeill for jumping to conclusions, but I didn't care... I loved it. For an avid escapist, the more grand and sweeping the conclusion the more enjoyable it is.
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Summary: Read For My AP History Class
Review: I gave this book 3 Stars, not because it was a bad book, but because I could not get very interested in reading it (Keep in mind I am only in High School). I read this book for my AP World History Class in High School. Upon completion I had to answer 18 Questions (7 long answer and 11 short answer). I believe that had I been older I would have comprehended much more and got a lot more from the book. There were however, parts of the book that really did get my attention and kept me wanting to read. But there were other parts that I could not wait to finish. The ideas were original and innovative. I would reccomend this book to anyone who is interested in the topic, wants a challenging read, or wonders about diseases and epidemics. Roc-A-Fella 4 Life
Rating:
Summary: Read For My AP History Class
Review: I gave this book 3 Stars, not because it was a bad book, but because I could not get very interested in reading it (Keep in mind I am only in High School). I read this book for my AP World History Class in High School. Upon completion I had to answer 18 Questions (7 long answer and 11 short answer). I believe that had I been older I would have comprehended much more and got a lot more from the book. There were however, parts of the book that really did get my attention and kept me wanting to read. But there were other parts that I could not wait to finish. The ideas were original and innovative. I would reccomend this book to anyone who is interested in the topic, wants a challenging read, or wonders about diseases and epidemics. Roc-A-Fella 4 Life
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books on history AND science extant.
Review: I have given away over a dozen copies of this book over the years. It has changed how I view both history and medicine forever. I wish McNeill's prose style were more exciting and encourage all readers to persevere until at least halfway through, then to re-read the beginning, where he lays out his theoretical concepts. Only after examples does it become clear what he is talking about. The concept of homeostasis, central to physiology, is extended by McNeill brilliantly to apply to populations and civilizations attempting to survive over time. No one seriously interested either in world history or in infectious diseases can afford to ignore McNeill's work.
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