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America's Forgotten Pandemic" has become extremely popular over the course of the last twenty years. Mainly because it provides a vivid account of another modern pandemic that threatens to mirror the myriad of epidemics that the world is confronting. The similarities between the avian flu scare as well as the current fight against AIDS have made this book much more vivid in the minds of both the public and scholars. This book has now been in print for over twenty five years, and has released itself in a new addition. It is primarily worth reading because it is not only a book about the pandemic, but more so a thorough psychological review of why the pandemic has such a strong influence upon the national consciousness of 1918, but is barely referenced in narratives in contemporary society. The blending of psychology, medical history and the thrill of narrative writing makes this book a highly worthy read.

Crosby is a noted American history; he is the Professor Emeritus in American Studies, History and Geography at the University of Texas at Austin where he has taught for twenty years. His specialty has been on the historical significance of "national terror events," and he has published numerous book sons the theme of reality vs. The national psychology. In this narrative, he uses thorough research to recreate the feelings and emotions that encompassed the crisis. In particular he uses primary narratives such as newspaper accounts during the tragedy as well as first hand narratives from people who lived through the crisis. His strong use of primary sources is probably why the stories and case studies he provides are so vivid. In addition to the primary sources he used to recreate the narrative of the pandemic, he also used many secondary resources to support the rise of the medical profession and the impact of the epidemic upon the historical response and the current practice of the medical profession. This is especially evident in his research on the changes that occurred to government responses to epidemics as a result of the 1918 pandemic. In both of these areas he uses strong research to support his story and not only provides a strong academic review of the impact, both psychological and real, of the pandemic but also a stirring story of tragedy, pain, and fear that arose from the actual people affected by the Spanish flu. In general I found this book to be very engrossing and would definitely recommend it to others.

Crosby, Alfred, America's Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989)