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.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 accl...

"An odd but happy marriage of sociological observation and Gonzo-style adventure." -WiredBreaking news, fresh gossip, tiny scandals, trumped-up crises—every day we are distracted by a culture that rings our doorbell and runs away. Stories spread wildly and die out in mere days, to be replaced by still more stories with ever shorter life spans. Through the Internet the news cycle has been set spinning even faster now that all of us can join the fray: anyone on a com...

A compassionate, sweeping history of the transformation in American attitudes toward animals by the best-selling authors of RabidOver just a few decades at the end of the nineteenth century, the United States underwent a moral revolution on behalf of animals. Before the Civil War, animals' suffering had rarely been discussed; horses pulling carriages and carts were routinely beaten in public view, and dogs were pitted against each other for entertainment a...

A compassionate, sweeping history of the transformation in American attitudes toward animals by the best-selling authors of RabidOver just a few decades at the end of the nineteenth century, the United States underwent a moral revolution on behalf of animals. Before the Civil War, animals' suffering had rarely been discussed; horses pulling carriages and carts were routinely beaten in public view, and dogs were pitted against each other for entertainment a...

A maddened creature, frothing at the mouth, lunges at an innocent victim—and with a bite, transforms its prey into another raving monster.It's a scenario that underlies our darkest tales of supernatural horror, but its power derives from a very real virus, a deadly scourge known to mankind from our earliest days. In this fascinating exploration, journalist Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy chart four thousand years in the history, science, and cultural mythology of rabies.T...

Unabridged • 6 hoursAn entertaining and eye-opening look into the new frontier of idea making.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A “gripping” (The Washington Post) account of how the major transformations in history—from the rise of Homo sapiens to the birth of capitalism—have been shaped not by humans but by germs“Superbly written . . . Kennedy seamlessly weaves together scientific and historical research, and his confident authorial voice is sure to please readers of Yuval Noah Harari or Rutger Bregman.”—The Times (U.K.)...

“A rare and compassionate look into the lives of Americans who go unclaimed when they die and those who dedicate their lives to burying them with dignity.”—Matthew Desmond, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Poverty, by America“A work of grace . . . Both cleareyed and disturbing, yet pulsing with empathy.”—The New York Times (Editors’ Choice)FINALIST FOR THE J. ANTHONY LUKAS BOOK PRIZE • ONE OF TH...

**The extraordinary history of the epic rivalry between the ancient world’s two great superpowers.“Magnificent.” —Spectator**The Roman Empire was like no other. Stretching from the north of Britain to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic coast to the Euphrates, it imposed peace and prosperity on an unprecedented scale. Its only true rival lay in the east, where the Parthian and then Persian empires ruled over great cities and the trade routes to mysterious lands beyon...

"A burst of delight on every page!"Mignon Fogarty, host of the Grammar Girl podcastDid you know that an "astronaut" is literally a "star sailor," that a thesaurus is, in fact, a "treasuretrove" of words, and that someone who is "sinister" is actually just "left-handed"?Have you ever wondered why English isn't considered a Romance language if 60% of ourwords are Latin-derived?Did Shakespeare really...

"A burst of delight on every page!"Mignon Fogarty, host of the Grammar Girl podcastDid you know that an "astronaut" is literally a "star sailor," that a thesaurus is, in fact, a "treasuretrove" of words, and that someone who is "sinister" is actually just "left-handed"?Have you ever wondered why English isn't considered a Romance language if 60% of ourwords are Latin-derived?Did Shakespeare really...

A captivating exploration of how underwater animals tap into sound to survive, and a clarion call for humans to address the ways we invade these critical soundscapes—from an award-winning science writer“Sing Like Fish is that rare book that makes you see the world differently.”—Mark Kurlansky, New York Times bestselling author of Salt and CodLONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE ...