Monthly Book List, First Edition

Here are a variety of books that may interest some of you. Many of these are personal favorites, some are entertaining and educational, others just educational, but rife with knowledge.

The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story
Follow the story of the Ebola virus. This book brought me into the world of virology. Exciting and educational...not many people know that we had an Ebola virus outbreak right in Virginia.

The Demon in the Freezer: A True Story
Another book by Richard Preston, this time centering around the bioterrorist threat of smallpox and anthrax. Although quite embellished, this is an entertaining read and definatly worthy of its place on my bookshelf.

Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World--Told from Inside by the Man Who Ran It
This book scared me when I first read it. Written by an ex-Soviet scientist who defected to the US, he tells us his story developing biological weapons of mass destruction. A great read, but not for the faint of heart.

The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance
Another look at emerging infectious diseases. Although "The Hot Zone" started my interest in looking at how viruses work. "The Coming Plague" initiated my studies in where infectious diseases come from.