Making of a Pandemic

John Ehrenreich has doctorates in biology and psychology. He is Professor Emeritus at SUNY-Old Westbury, where he taught for many years. He has written widely on issues at the intersection of biology, psychology, sociology, and social policy. His previous books include The American Health Empire: Power, Profits, and Politics (with Barbara Ehrenreich and the staff of Health-PAC), The Cultural Crisis of Modern Medicine (edited), The Altruistic Imagination: A History of Social Work and Social Policy in the United States, and Third Wave Capitalism: How Money, Power, and the Pursuit of Self Interest Have Imperiled the American Dream.

“Too many of us come to the topic of the pandemic both weary and entrenched in our views based on how it’s affected us and the people we know. Ehrenreich’s worldview isn’t well-hidden in his telling of events. If you share this view, the book will confirm what you believe, and it is chock full of additional data for your arsenal.” (Andy Slavitt, The Washington Post, washingtonpost.com, July 29, 2022)

• Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION.- Chapter 2. The Revenge of the Microbes.- Chapter 3. From Outbreak to Pandemic.- Chapter 4. Two Peas in a Pod: Pandemic and Global Warming.- Chapter 5. The Great Tradeoff: Public Health vs. the Economy.- Chapter 6. The Cost of Inequality.- Chapter 7. The Crooked Timber of Humanity.- Chapter 8. The Fourth Horseman.