Dr. Jonathan D. Quick

Because it’s 2020, I have been on a mission to read and educate myself with as many pandemic/epidemic books as possible. I’ve read quite a few now and I can say that The End of Epidemics is the best book on the topic so far. Why? It’s the first book I’ve had to put down because it’s so eerily realistic to the current world situation. It’s also the most detailed in explaining how we can prevent (or at the very least minimise) epidemics in the future. The End of Epidemics goes beyond explaining the epidemics of history and gives practical advice that anyone can partake in. Oh, and the scariest bit? This book was originally published in 2018, when people were travelling and going to concerts with mosh pits.

The updated edition has a preface about COVID-19 explaining which countries have done things well and not so well as of June 2020 (Aussies, Scomo gets a mention). It links back to the seven-point plan that makes up the second half of the book on how epidemics can be prevented and it’s worthwhile revisiting after you’ve read the book. The rest of the book is pre-COVID, but the examples, lessons learned and suggestions for the future are all highly relevant. Quick is an expert on the topic, having been involved in many public health campaigns involving epidemics (and where he hasn’t been there personally, he knows someone who has and has included their experience). If you have experience or learnings in public health, you will find this book much more interesting than any study or textbook because it puts what you learn into practice. It links the theory to the action and it does so in the best kind of way – you don’t even realise you are learning as you read! The book is fascinating, relevant and interesting. The authors have clearly worked hard to make this book accessible to those who don’t have extensive knowledge in the field, but is still entertaining and interesting to those who do.

I’d love to send this book to some leaders with the action plan chapters marked (even better if I could time travel back to 2018 to get the ball rolling). If you only read one book about epidemics, make it you only read one book about epidemics, make it The End of Epidemics. You won’t be disappointed, but rather informed and educated to take action.

Thank you to Scribe for the copy of this book. My review is honest.

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