Anthrax: The Investigation of a Deadly Outbreak

Jeanne Guillemin's masterful account of the Sverdlovsk outbreak of anthrax in 1979 is a suspenseful medical mystery; a thoughtful analysis of the threats, real and imagined, of bioterrorism; and an intelligent tour of the sociological, political, and psychological ramifications of the event. A very appealing element of the book is the sheer power of the storytelling. We are drawn in by a personable, human, plucky narrator who, as a sociologist, a westerner, a woman, has to navigate the maze of Soviet bureaucracy to reach the human heart of the story. The portraits of those who died in the outbreak are highly detailed and poignant; the book is, in part, a testimony to the specific people who lost their lives as the result of a complex chain of events quite beyond them. I found the book compelling and moving -- a great read.

Jeanne Guillemin writes a first person account of an independent investigation of the 1979 Anthrax outbreak in Soviet Sverdlovsk. The style of writting is unique in that she intersperses throughout the book loosely related discussions of sociological and cultural literature. Anthrax comes to the conclusion that the outbreak was pulmonary anthrax emminating from Military Compound 19. The books one and only disappointment is the groups failure to investigate the military compound (they couldn't get on it)...leaving the reader with the body, the smoke, but no gun.The author freely expresses her opinions throughout the book. She describes the personal losses from the anthrax fatalities. Her description of the casualty presentation is a must read...the mild onset followed by a sudden collapse after the anthrax eclipse. She points out several times the exagerations of risks and the BW terrorist threat.The ending leaves one feeling uneasy with Russian officials now seeming to be less candid about the incident, and former ones pointing out the matter should be dropped due to the multi-lateral aspect of BW today.

An exceptional work made possible by thorough investigation. If you have an interest in biological warfare or epidemiology this is a classic. The information fits so well with the information provided by insider Ken Alibek in his book, BIOHAZARD. The conclusions reached are not opinionated or slanted, but solid information based on evidence.

We hear with increasing frequency about the use of biological weapons or the threat of their use yet, as laymen, we have no way to evaluate how much danger we may actually be in. And politicians and extremists use this ignorance to their advantage. This book is a landmark. It describes an extremely complex subject in a way that is accessible to any intelligent reader. It reads like a good mystery, full of plot, place, and the nuance of character. An extraordinary achievement.

Although I found this medical mystery fascinating, it was the devasting human suffering and agony that the surviors, relatives, friends, and neighbors endured that made this story touch me deeply. I highly recommend it to all.