Breathless

The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus

By: David Quammen

Narrated by: Jacques Roy

National Book Award finalist Breathless tells the story of the worldwide scientific race to decipher the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, trace its source, and make possible the vaccines to fight the Covid-19 pandemic—a “luminous, passionate account of the defining crisis of our time” (The New York Times).

Breathless is a “gripping” (The Atlantic) but “clear-eyed analysis” (Time) of SARs-CoV-2 and its fierce journey through the human population, as seen by the scientists who study its origin, its ever-changing nature, and its capacity to kill us. David Quammen expertly shows how strange new viruses emerge from animals into humans as we disrupt wild ecosystems and how those viruses adapt to their human hosts, sometimes causing global catastrophe. He explains why this coronavirus will probably be a “forever virus,” destined to circulate among humans and bedevil us endlessly, in one variant form or another. As scientists labor to catch it, comprehend it, and control it, with their high-tech tools and methods, the virus finds ways of escape.

Based on interviews with nearly one hundred scientists, including leading virologists in China and around the world, Quammen explains that:
-Infectious disease experts saw this pandemic coming
-Some scientists, for more than two decades, warned that “the next big one” would be caused by a changeable new virus—very possibly a coronavirus—but such warnings were ignored for political or economic reasons
-The precise origins of this virus may not be known for years, but some clues are compelling, and some suppositions can be dismissed
-And much more

Written by “one of our finest explainers of the natural world for decades” (Chicago Tribune), This “compelling and terrifying” (The New York Times) account is an unparalleled look inside the frantic international race to understand and control SARS-CoV-2—and what it might mean for the next potential global health crisis.

Critic reviews

"Quammen’s focus is on the science of COVID-19 — its nature, development, and possible origin — in a study that is complex and often technical. Narrator Jacques Roy negotiates the details deftly, maintaining the intelligent dispassion of a newsman or documentary narrator but with the amiable, intimate manner of an expert recounting a story in a personal conversation. His expressiveness and naturally varying tones convey not only the facts, but also Quammen’s take on them, including occasional authorial sarcasm delivered with a muted but telling edge. His ability to engage the listener even with the denser passages makes him the perfect companion for this sometimes microscopic examination of virological science and the illness that currently plagues us."

Exceptional “mosaic” of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic

Through the expert assembly of multiple voices and multiple perspectives, each of them like a tile in a mosaic, David Quammen has constructed a brilliant picture of the current pandemic. While there is some temporal linearity to the story, it is largely a story made from fragments of the entire picture, where the image comes into focus as one stands back and assembles them in their mind’s eye. This may stand as the best picture of the pandemic, captured as we stand in the midst of it. This is science communication at its best. That the words are conveyed so well in this excellent reading make it all the better. Highly recommended.

Highly informed and well-written Covid Narrative

Because of his earlier work on the spillover of viruses from the wild into humans, Quammen is superbly qualified and connected to explain how scientists addressed the Covid pandemic. My only gripe is that he doesn’t understand the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and wish he hadn’t brought it up at the end.

All We Know So Far About the Corona Virus

This is one of the few books of have listened to more than once in a row to make sure I didn't miss any important facts. David Quammen writes in a clear way that is understandable for anyone, even if you do not have a scientific background. The narration by Jacques Roy is excellent and easy to follow. For those who want to know what is known about the Corona Virus to date (and what is still unknown about it) it is the history of this enigmatic virus that still affects the world. It is a very clear background of the discovery of the virus, the mistakes made in identifying it, the interference of political disinformation about it and the facts discovered by thousands of researchers world wide. It gives us a concise background of the development of the life saving vaccines we presently have. I highly recommend David Quammen's books. I started with "Spillover" and was hooked. Our world is constantly threatened by emerging zoonotic viruses and it is important to understand why they are so prevalent today. You couldn't do better than to listen to his series of books.

Fantastic, methodic, and scientific exploration of the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic

I couldn't put this down...er...pause this book. Fascinating exploration about the early couple of years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SARS-CoV2 virus, earlier and related coronaviruses. It focuses on the original few months as well as background on the search for the reservoir of the original SARS virus and MERS. It looks at a variety of possibilities, but only those for which there is data, through copious interviews with SMEs involved (and with all the lockdowns, there were many who could participate from home from free online databases), and through a review and explanation of the scientific literature, mostly that was published and subject to peer review but a few instances of pre-publication papers.

Lots of theories and information in the press at the time are debunked or put into context with greater explanation, and admirable, logical explanations about why certain theories cannot be true.

The original SARS virus took years to find the most likely reservoir host. I'd love to see a second edition to this book in a few years to report on the progress of the study of the SARS-CoV2 virus and the hunt for the reservoir host, more concrete proof about how all the various parts existed and how recombination of multiple coronaviruses, and what we know from the subsequent variants.

There is still much that's unknown or inconclusive about the origins of the pandemic and the viruses involved. There surely will be additional and more detailed books in the future. However, I'm much better educated and fascinated by what the experts, data and literature show thus far.

Great book and excellent reading

The topic is/was interesting, the reading of information was very listenable.
The frank nature of writing made a heavy topic engaging and entertaining to listen too if a person enjoys listening to these kind of topics.