Richard Preston has released a new book about Ebola, the disease that keeps on coming.
Preston
first came to my attention with his riveting 1994 nonfiction
best-seller about the outbreak of Ebola in Africa, “The Hot Zone.” Born
in Cambridge, Preston graduated from Wellesley schools before departing
these parts for the world of infectious disease, bioterror threats and,
in 2011, co-author of Michael Crichton’s unfinished novel, “Micro,”
after Crichton died.
He’s not a geek - or at least, he didn’t
start out that way. His uninspired academic record blocked him from
acceptance at Pomona College in California. It was only weekly collect
calls to the dean that eventually earned him an acceptance. The dean
took a risk, and it paid off: Preston graduated summa cum laude. He
later earned a doctorate in English at Princeton University.
Since
then, he’s been an investigative journalist. Preston has long been a
regular contributor to The New Yorker magazine. His attention to detail,
horrific as it may be, has earned respect among scientists for precise
writing and depth of research. The American Institute of Physics and the
Centers for Disease Control both awarded his writing, among many
others.
His latest, “Crisis in the Red Zone,” updates Ebola’s
status and details the threat it presents in the future. The title
refers to the quarantine area. “Patients die in the red zone,” he says.
Preston writes of chaotic field hospitals struggling to contain the
threat (in Zaire, 11,000 died, now, in Congo, more than 1,600 have so
far died in the second outbreak). He profiles doctors and researchers
committed to fighting a nearly uncontainable disease, at the risk of
their own lives.
Don’t think the book will be a tome. His writing
is fluid and exceptionally readable. Preston knows how to tell a story
well, even when it’s the truth.
Recommendation
In
related viral zone fiction, David Koepp, screenwriter for “Mission:
Impossible” and “Spider-Man,” has a first novel, being released Sept. 3.
“Cold Storage” is the story of a long-buried organism that emerges,
threatening mass extinction. Fun topic for summer, right? It’s a
thriller.
"The Guest Book"
Author Stephen King, highly
recommends Sarah Blake’s novel, “The Guest Book,” to book clubs. “Lots
to unpack there,” he says. Critics have also dubbed it “monumental” and
“an American epic.” It revolves around a Crockett Island, Maine, family
across three generations. I'm midway through it--it's multi-layered but fresh. Blake is available to Skype during club
meetings. sarahblakebookclubs@gmail.com.
