Review by Choice Review
Bristow (University of Puget Sound) delves into America's so-called "forgotten pandemic" (see Alfred Crosby's Epidemic and Peace, 1918, CH, Sep'76, and America's Forgotten Pandemic, 2nd ed., CH, Feb'04, 41-3471) to demonstrate that the memory of the 1918 influenza pandemic lived on in the private, if not the public, sphere. The author asserts that gender, race, and class were profoundly implicated in the American pandemic experience. Although the virus struck indiscriminately, the treatment an individual received was directly related to social identities. An epidemic of this proportion could have had the potential to break down cultural barriers, but, she argues, Americans responded with adherence to their respective roles in societies. Bristow provides an intimate account of the individual and private suffering of millions of Americans. Based on solid, comprehensive research, the volume is readable and vivid in language and example. By drawing on the personal papers of victims, families, and medical and public health workers, the author breathes life into stories of death, while drawing larger conclusions about the reasons Americans chose to "forget" the pandemic and the costs of such "public amnesia." An impressive and important book for students, historians, and lay readers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General, academic, and professional audiences, all levels. D. A. Henningfeld emerita, Adrian College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The memories of the worst pandemic ever are all but lost. In a richly researched work that gives sobering context and voice to a flu that killed 675,000 Americans and 50 million worldwide in 1918-1919, University of Puget Sound history professor Bristow dispels the "costly amnesia" that followed the devastation. She notes how scientists were overconfident of their ability to control the flu, buoyed by the discovery of microbes responsible for a stunning list of deadly diseases. Bristow also describes the harrowing symptoms of the virulent flu and relates the heartbreaking stories of individuals raked by the disease, including the high proportion of young adults (usually the very young and old are most at risk) whose lungs filled like those "of the drowned." And though poor and rich alike died, Bristow finds how differently the public judged "deserving" and "undeserving" victims. She also writes of the daunting public health task of stanching the flu's spread-from mandated school closures to the wearing of face masks in public and the public's frustration with, and resistance to, them. This enlightening history lifts the curtain on a remarkable period of destruction and endurance-and reminds us that those who forget history are condemned to relive it. Photos.(May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Over one-quarter of Americans were infected with the flu virus popularly known as the "Spanish Influenza" in four waves between 1918 and 1920. Of these, 675,000 sufferers died in 1918, reducing American life expectancy that year by 12 years. Countless children were orphaned, often overnight. The pandemic's impact included cancellations of school, of all public entertainments in many cities, and of church services; unprepared hospitals were overwhelmed, even piling up bodies in hallways. While this flu hit American society hard, Bristow (history, Univ. of Puget Sound; Making Men Moral: Social Engineering During the Great War), granddaughter of a Spanish flu orphan, contends that it has been too little studied by scholars. She intends her extensively researched book to fill part of the gap. Bristow studies how the flu increased American support for government social programs; how patient experiences differed by racial, gender, and socioeconomic status; public health planning changes; and why Americans have chosen to forget such dramatic events. Verdict Well written, engaging, and at times a bit graphic, this scholarly study does not include as many personal stories as some readers may hope for, but it will make them think twice about sneezing. Recommended especially for academic readers and specialists.-Laura Ruttum Senturia, Univ. of Colorado Boulder Lib. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Bristow (History/Univ. of Puget Sound; Making Men Moral: Social Engineering During the Great War, 1996) unpacks the complex cultural, social and scientific effects of the 1918 influenza epidemic and reveals the American voices that fill the gap of a suppressed national memory. In less than two years, influenza killed more than 50 million people worldwide, shocking existing medical infrastructures and destabilizing the trust that citizens had in science. Physicians were at a loss to prescribe effective treatments; racial and gender divides grew as misunderstandings about the spread of disease exacerbated existing stereotypes; and fear of contagion threatened to collapse the kind of community support that had helped the nation endure past hardships. Simultaneously, the rise of public health care employed the rhetoric of opportunity and optimism, further destabilizing social boundaries as the death rate climbed. A combination of media emphasis on looking toward the future and a public call for increased funding for new scientific research assisted in whitewashing the deep sense of loss and despair that afflicted most Americans as they dealt with the aftermath of the pandemic. Bristow, whose great-grandparents succumbed to influenza in 1920, writes with depth and feeling. By researching dozens of primary sources, she reveals the human circumstances and personal stories behind the history of this tragic era. It's a much-needed addendum to pandemic literature and an important perspective to understand as new and ever-evolving flu strains hover over our collective understanding of disease. Well-researched and insightful.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
