Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Coronaviruses and Beyond by Sonia Shah Summary
Overview of Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Coronaviruses and Beyond
Sonia Shah's "Pandemic" eerily predicted our COVID reality four years before it happened. This science journalist's exploration of contagions reveals how zoonotic diseases jump from animals to humans, with 60% of new pathogens originating from wildlife. What's the next pathogen waiting to emerge?
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Key takeaways
The Invisible Threat Among Us
A passenger collapses mid-flight from Haiti to Florida, convulsing with violent symptoms-cholera has hitched a ride on Spirit Airlines. Emergency crews scramble to disinfect the plane while other passengers wait nearby, unknowingly exposed. This 2013 near-miss reveals a troubling truth: despite our advanced technology and medical knowledge, we remain desperately vulnerable to pandemic pathogens. Cholera alone has triggered seven global pandemics since the 1800s, and it won't be the last disease to exploit our interconnected world. What transforms a local outbreak into a worldwide catastrophe isn't just the pathogen's biology-it's the social, political, and economic systems we've built that provide microbes with perfect pathways to spread. Understanding this "pandemic pathway" means examining not just how diseases evolve, but how human choices create the conditions for their success.
From Animal Hosts to Human Bodies
The Transportation Revolution That Changed Everything
Living in Our Own Waste
When Cooperation Collapses
The Climate Connection
What Comes Next
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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