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Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus
Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus | Bill Wasik, Monica Murphy
The most fatal virus known to science, rabies-a disease that spreads avidly from animals to humans-kills nearly one hundred percent of its victims once the infection takes root in the brain. In this critically acclaimed exploration, journalist Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy chart four thousand years of the history, science, and cultural mythology of rabies. From Greek myths to zombie flicks, from the laboratory heroics of Louis Pasteur to the contemporary search for a lifesaving treatment, Rabid is a fresh and often wildly entertaining look at one of humankind's oldest and most fearsome foes. "A searing narrative." -The New York Times "In this keen and exceptionally well-written book, rife with surprises, narrative suspense and a steady flow of expansive insights, 'the world's most diabolical virus' conquers the unsuspecting reader's imaginative nervous system. . . . A smart, unsettling, and strangely stirring piece of work." -San Francisco Chronicle "Fascinating. . . . Wasik and Murphy chronicle more than two millennia of myths and discoveries about rabies and the animals that transmit it, including dogs, bats and raccoons." -The Wall Street Journal
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Primarily a history of rabies and its impact on the human population and our beloved dogs, this book also dabbles into very accessible science and some individual stories of infection. It‘s fascinating, though Bindi says some of the dog illness parts were upsetting.

ShelleyBooksie One of the most fascinating and scary books I have ever read! 2w
Suet624 A book I‘d love to listen to if my library could find it. 2w
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 2w
AlaMich Did you hear about the teacher in California who found a bat in her classroom recently? She picked it up, was bitten, and died a month later from rabies. She never went to the hospital after being bitten. (edited) 2w
Hooked_on_books @AlaMich I hadn‘t heard that, but based on this book I‘m not surprised. They mention that bats are the primary vector for rabies in the US. In fact, that say anyone who finds a bat in their bedroom, even if they are unaware of a bite, should get rabies treatment, since their bites can be tiny and unnoticed. 2w
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ElizaMarie
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julieclair Oh my! That is a perfect depiction of a beast! 😵‍💫 2mo
TheSpineView 🌞😊🤩 2mo
PuddleJumper 🧡🖤🖤 2mo
Catsandbooks 👏🏼🐦‍⬛🧡 2mo
25 likes4 comments
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Bookworm54
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Mehso-so

This was my #Roll100 pick for June.

It was okay and had some interesting parts, but overall I didn‘t feel like I learnt much about rabies, and a lot of the book was anecdotal.

PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ 6mo
36 likes1 comment
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Bookworm54
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My #Roll100 for June is Rabid.

Been on the TBR forever. Very likely it has come up before and I just didn‘t get to it 😂

PuddleJumper 😂 7mo
37 likes1 comment
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ElizaMarie
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Pickpick

Wow, it was so interesting! Thank you, @catiewithac, for sending this to me. It's funny because the topic of rabies came up at work the other day, and my coworkers thought it was strange how familiar I seemed with the disease. 😁

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 8mo
ShelleyBooksie That face 😍♥️ 8mo
ShelleyBooksie It's a great book! 8mo
ElizaMarie @ShelleyBooksie Ha yes! She looks so annoyed with me! (Normally she is) 8mo
21 likes4 comments
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ElizaMarie
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@catiewithac starting this one during my infusion 💉Its already gripping me in 🐺

thanks again for your kindness and friendship :)

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ShelleyBooksie
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1. Rabid - Bill Wasik
2. Cabin Fever - Michael Smith
3. How to Be A Good Creature - Sy Montgomery

@dabbe
@DinoMom , @DebbieGrillo, @AmyG - wanna play?

dabbe You've given me more to look into! Thanks for sharing. 💚💙💚 10mo
38 likes1 comment
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BookNAround
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Mehso-so

Rabies is a devastating disease that we still don‘t have a cure for which should have made this cultural history and accessible science interesting and compelling. Unfortunately, there was too little here to reach that level and a lot of the info used to flesh put the book are only questionably connected to rabies. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2023/12/review-rabid-by-bill-wasik-and-monica.ht...

Shemac77 Beautiful review! 11mo
ShelleyBooksie I enjoyed your review! I really liked this book, and I always enjoy when people have differing opinions :) 11mo
48 likes2 comments
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BookNAround
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I started both of these yesterday. Not sure yet which I‘ll focus on first. Gatsby is bored by both of them, snoring her disdain loudly.

dabbe Hello there, sleepy & snuggly pup! 🖤🐾🖤 13mo
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MicrobeMom
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Summer break morning are for a little reading my# after dropping the kiddos at school. I will work later!! Getting this in now while the weather is beautiful. Summer research starts next week. Back to the lab! 🧫 🧪 🥼

ElizaMarie Ooo, this looks very interesting! I am going to “stack“ it :) 2y
MicrobeMom @ElizaMarie I found the 1st two chapters a bit boring but since then, it has been very interesting. 2y
39 likes2 comments
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Nikki_E
Pickpick

I listened to the audio but I will probably go back and reread in print as I feel like I missed a bit. Really enjoyed it though.

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Megabooks
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Pickpick

This is two books: a look at the historical & literary references to rabies and a look at the scientific advances that made rabies vaccination & survival possible. I‘m not sure how many people are as interested in both of those as I am.

They discuss ancient references and more modern interpretations with vampires, zombies, & werewolves.

The treatment of infected & research animals throughout history may be difficult for some to read about. 3.5⭐️

Reviewsbylola As a vet, I‘m not shocked you went for this one. 😂 Did you ever have to treat an actual case of rabies? I always assumed it was much less prevalent. 4y
Megabooks @Reviewsbylola I had two suspect cases, but once we found out they hadn‘t bitten anyone, they didn‘t get tested. There used to be bat identification projects at my vet school (optional) but I never participated because I didn‘t get my pre-exposure shots until 3rd year. A few of the bats would always test positive. 4y
Reviewsbylola So fascinating. 4y
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Megabooks
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I scored a second bingo and finished my #bookspin today! I‘m just starting the three circled ones this afternoon. The tagged book is my #audiobook #freespace.

But now I finally have a chance to sit down and decide if I want fiction (Shuggie) or nonfiction (Sweetgrass) while I relax. 🤔

#bookspinbingo

KVanRead 👏👏👏 4y
britt_brooke Nicely done! I loved Smoke Gets in Your Eyes! And Heavy. 4y
Megabooks @KVanRead 😀 thanks! 4y
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Megabooks @britt_brooke I very much enjoyed both of those as well! 4y
TheAromaofBooks Yay bingo!!!!! You're making great progress as always!!! 4y
atla I have Braiding Sweetgrass on my nightstand, but I think I‘m saving it for deep winter when I need a healthy dose of nature. 🤷‍♀️ 4y
Megabooks @atla I‘m going to end up returning it - not because I‘m not enjoying it - but because the strange constellation of arm disabilities I have is making it hard for me to hold open. I have such trouble with paperbacks sometimes! I‘m going to get it as an ebook at some point. 💙 4y
Megabooks @TheAromaofBooks thank you!! 😀😀😀 4y
atla @Megabooks Oof, I know what you mean (don‘t have the same issues, obviously, but my own chronic pain issues). I have one of those cookbook holders that I use sometimes on my desk to read. It‘s annoying when turning pages, but otherwise helpful :) 4y
Megabooks @atla I have a Flippy to read in bed. (Soft pillow with different angles for use with book or tablet.) That makes reading with hardcovers and kindles/iPads possible, but I haven‘t found a comfortable way to read with paperbacks, no matter what I try, especially ones over 250 pages. I‘m sorry you‘re a chronic pain person too. It sucks. ☹️ 4y
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Aimeesue
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Cuz who doesn‘t want to read about rabies as a pandemic rages?
But also, after a discussion with my kids today about vaccines, I need to know why dogs get rabies vaccines but humans don‘t.

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JPeterson
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I‘m loving the book (and jewelry) my boyfriend got me for my birthday. And the unintentional color scheme that is going on here. 🖤❤️

Redwritinghood Happy birthday! 🎂🎂 6y
DarcysMom Happy Birthday! 🎂 6y
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valeriegeary
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Don't tell me a #zombie apocalypse could never happen. #octoberxfiles #braaains

@Cinfhen @Robothugs

Robothugs 😱😱 I‘ve heard of the Hot Zone before 6y
CouronneDhiver The Hot Zone was a super interesting read... totally recommend it @Robothugs 6y
AmyG I really liked The Hot Zone. Good read. 6y
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Robothugs @AmyG @DivineDiana @CouronneDhiver alright you guys sold me! Going on my TBR! 6y
Cinfhen All three books sound fascinating #RealLifeIsWayScarierThanFiction 6y
valeriegeary @Cinfhen I've only read the hot zone and it was 😱😳😵. 6y
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wtimblin
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So....was only meant to have a quick look at what other 'virus-related' books were out there...and accidentally bought a few...should keep me busy for a while!

MStew Those look GREAT!!! I need to check these out! 6y
SexyCajun Haha. Virus related books! I‘m gonna screenshot this!! Looking at your collection here I stunned my own self with how many books I‘ve got stacked up in iBooks and Kindle and Audible and Scribd 😱😱😱 6y
wtimblin @SexyCajun haha! Tell me about it! 6y
62 likes3 comments
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shanaqui
Pickpick

Very much a cultural history rather than scientific, with a rather exhaustive focus on linking rabies with lycanthropy and vampirism. Not really what I was looking for, though an interesting read in some ways.

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Nebklvr
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Pickpick

This book covers ancient treatment, production of the rabies vaccine, and contemporary outbreaks in addition to cultural terror associated with the virus. Overall a decent read but it does slow to a grind in places.#LitsyAtoZ

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Nebklvr
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Who knew?

Texreader Hmmm. Didn't know about all these other casualties. Fascinating 8y
Nebklvr @Texreader I remember pigs from reading another book about flu epidemic but didn't know about other animals! 8y
20 likes2 comments
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Kristy_K
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Mehso-so

I switched to audiobook to read this and had I not, I probably would have DNF'd. While there are some interesting tidbits (I especially liked when he delved into novels and movies about rabies (or even merely influenced by)), overall this was an arduous read. I could have done with about 100 less pages which is saying something seeing how it comes in at under 250 pages. ⭐️⭐️
#ERMadlibs #adjective

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Nebklvr
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britt_brooke 😂 8y
Seshat LOL! I actually listened to that in audio from the library and enjoyed it. 8y
Nebklvr @Seshat I like disease related books:polio, flu, etc 8y
Seshat @Nebklvr indeed. Me, too. 8y
29 likes4 comments
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Nebklvr
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Nebklvr
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Sometimes we need to stop and remember the many non-western contributions to science. There were many.

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Nebklvr
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Which is worse..."cure" vs disease

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RabidReader

I made a name change on here... Didn't know you could do that, until someone else did so for very different reasons. Mine was done because I am starting a blog by the same name and I thought it only fitting that, well, it fit together. I am only in the very beginning stages but will throw a link out once I have some finalized content. So CTimmer is no longer my handle. Thanks Kittens for all the inspiration and kindness... Love this group!

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thelibraryofmars
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Currently listening to: ☠️🐺💉

I am thrilled about the amount of werewolf and vampire legend that is included along with the science of rabies. Informative and entertaining! I morbidly recommend.

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MichelleRoss
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Pickpick

Excellent!

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Kathrin
Bailedbailed

I bailed on this book. It was not able to capture my attention. Around 30% in, I could not tell you, what I have listen to. I am pretty sure it's me, not the book!

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MichelleRoss
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Since I finished my last Audible book, A Brief History of Creation. I started a new one this morning. I listen while I sew and do household chores. My husband walked in as the narrator started talking about canine menstrual blood. He walked right back out 😂

13 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Eralon
Pickpick

If an animal bites you, go directly to the doctor to get a rabies vaccine. Also if you wake up in a room with a bat even if you have no evidence you were bitten- go to doctor!

MrBook Welcome to @Litsy ! We hope you enjoy your stay, I think you'll like it here 😎👍🏻. 8y
1 like1 comment