Product Description
The mysterious death of an archaeologist lures disease-control researcher Dr. Bailey Harrison deep into the jungles of Costa Rica. There, in the hot zone, an unknown and potentially devastating new virus has made its first lethal appearance. Yet a more horrifying evil awaits Bailey at the end of her quest. For in a lavish estate carved from the savage wilderness, an extraordinary man rules, the master of a forbidding world. And he himself is slave to a centuries-old hunger. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Mildly Infectious...Easy, Entertaining, & Fun!
I was thoroughly happy when I came across this title while randomly searching for horror reading on the Phoenix Public Library website...all copies were checked out, so I was compelled to put a copy on hold...and I was rewarded on Friday with a copy to read. I just finished it today (SATURDAY...yes, one day later).For those who don't know me...let me be the VERY first to admit I LOVE vampire novels...all kinds of vampire novels (and movies, and TV series, and short stories, and so one and so on...).I love the good ones, the bad ones (it's like sex and pizza for me...even the bad ones are still pretty good)...the mediocre ones, the heavy ones, the fluffy ones...he, he...well, I guess you get my drift here!

The premise, that vampirism is a VIRUS, invading the human body and transforming it, is certainly NOT new...its been seen in countless other novels, movies, ect...(both good and bad, well explained and completely implausible...it's been around the block a few times)...but it IS a plausible explanation for Vampirism (if you want to entertain the idea that it COULD...or does, depending on how you look at the world...actually have happened at some point in human history...or in the future...he, he).So it makes for an easily "suspension of reality" mode in my book...especially given the increasing voracity and occurrence of new viruses popping up these days.

Starting with the premise that vampirism is a the result of a viral infection which transforms humans INTO something simultaneously human (they can walk about and function in full day light, they eat and drink, they enjoy many of the other pleasures of human existence -- sex, alcohol) and decidedly inhuman...driven to consume human blood and in certain transformations become insane monsters who are uncontrollably violent in nature (the premise in this book is that most vampires are GOOD, or even benevolent, yet elusive members of society).

Romkey certainly does a wonderful job of weaving all of these diverse elements into an interesting plot which is easy to read and defiantly enjoyable...but still not the best I've ever read!It IS engaging....easy to read...I'd say it was a bit on the fluffy side...no real depth to the characters and no startling plot twists...it's not overly predictable...but it's also not overly had to figure out the "ending" well before the end of the book...

Some of the "flaws" for me include:

Dr. Bailey...it's NEVER explained WHY two strikingly handsome, very old vampires find her so irresistible...sure she's beautiful...but to have two vampires (men who've been around long enough to see a plethora of beautiful women) almost immediately, fall madly in love with her...is disconcerting...I would have liked to have "known her better," making it easier to make this leap.The author does not develop this character very well and it's hard to have sympathy or truly worry about her well being as the story develops because we simply never get to know her beyond a superficial level.The same is true for most of the characters in the book.

Father Xavier is introduced as a lonely, "fallen" priest who apparently had an affair in Mexico City and has been exiled to this desolate little town, where the natives apparently have NO use for him whatsoever.The point of this character is mainly to carry the story line along (there are other plot devices that could have better servied Romkey here) and perhaps provide a point for "moral outrage" where we might fail to find it and to serve as a counter point for some mild development of Lazaro's "history near the end of the book...his departure was abrupt and I felt this cloud have been developed and used in a slightly different manner and served the story line MUCH better, if the author had taken some additional time to do so.

Ludwig/Samas/Beethoven...and the illuminati...PLEASE...this was ridiculous beyond reason...a group of benevolent vampires -- age old and apparently VERY talented as well...(a vampire support group as one reviewer called it)...who's purpose and function are never fully explained -- but I have NOT read I, Vampire or the other two books in that series...so this may be why I find this disconcerting...still even if I had, Beethoven coming to South America to "fix" this little problem...seems a bit far fetched to me...and I usually have not trouble with "suspension of belief."

The old man...the priest visits an old man living on the mountain regularly...but we only get a very brief glimpse of him and his purpose ?????? there doesn't appear to be one...why even have this character????

Having said all this...I still enjoyed the book...a much nicer way to spend a Friday evening/Saturday morning than watching re-runs on TV and cartoons with my kids...don't get me wrong...I love an episode of Scooby, but this was an entertaining light read!!

I particularly enjoyed the archeological/scientific elements (this could have been a really long and equally enjoyable book if the author had developed these story elements more) and the introduction of animals as carriers/infectors of the virus...very nice element, I thought!

So...if you need a good, quick, light read...I highly recommend this book... if your looking to become engrossed in another era or "life..." it's not going to happen with this book!! Enjoy it for what it is...entertaining fluff!!I think this qualifies as a book version of a"B" movie (and I love those too)!!!

I give it a "B" also...entertaining and easy to read...but not a lot of substance and certainly not to be counted among the WORST vampire stories I've ever read!!

Virus, Black Magic, and Vampires
Michael Romkey has written a fast moving adventure novel combining the elements of Vampires, Black Magic, history, and modern science. The storyline flows very well and is presented consistant with the style of his previous books; concurrent events unfolding in successive chapters. With the exception of Ludwig, Romkey has introduced all new characters, and with his branching out into magic and disease science, entirely new avenues are waiting to be explored for future stories.

With the exception of the historial accounts, the entire plot unfolds in and around a rain forest of South America. Savage black magic and the uncovering of the Vampire Virus are the centerpieces of this drama. Romkey spends considerable time developing all of the characters and creates a mood of darkness, brutailty, tradition, and a hope for the future.

The book stands on it's own and can be read without reading the prior three novels. However, since Romkey turns in a new direction, you will not get the full breadth of his writing unless you read the prior three novels.

A fun, if not original Vampire tale
This is an entertaining book, but not entirely original.Several of the ideas have been put forward in other vampire books or film before.I know that the idea of vampirism being a disease process has been used before, I know that some of the modern day vampires walk around in the day light, several authors have suggested that famous historical people have really been vampires, and I know lots of the more modern vampires are "good" people.

Mr. Romkey takes all these ideas and weaves them into a reasonably entertaining read.The premise is that an archeologist dies in Costa Rica while investigating ancient Indian ruins.It turns out that these are really owned by a vampire.When the archeologist turns up dead, Dr. Bailey of the Centers for Disease Control goes down to see if there is a possible new "killer" virus involved.Dr. Bailey becomes involved with two ancient vampires, both with very interesting previous lives.One, a former conquistador, and the second a vampire named Ludwig, also a famous man from the past.

Although the story is a fair read, it has flaws.Ludwig is part of the Illuminati.This is supposedly a group of old world vampires who sound like a vampire support group, but they are never really explained.I notice that Mr. Romkey has written other vampire books and perhaps they are explained in more detail in another book.There do seem to be some characters thrown in that have no real purpose.There's an old man that the priest calls on that is never explained.The former affair of the priest does explain why he's there in the middle of nowhere but doesn't really add much to the story.

It short, although not extremely original, it's a light entertaining read.

My star ratings:

One star - couldn't finish the book
Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning.Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
Three stars - enjoyable read.Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection.Would judge other books by the author individually.
Four stars - Liked the book.Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
Five start - One of my all time favorites.Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.

Boring..........
Take way too many characters, make them extremely one-dimensional, give the reader an uninspired climax and there is the formula for THE VAMPIRE VIRUS.Throw in some plot holes and one of the most ridiculous charters every in a vampire story for added humility.

Interesting idea...
It was an intriguing plot for a book, but it takes a totally different look on vampires than I have ever seen before (and I read a lot on vampires).It's an interesting read, but lacks true substance and credibility. ... Read more

Product Description

When somebody mentions terrorism attack the attention is immediately concentrated on military type attacks such as bombs, kamikazes or similar kinds and nobody thinks about the possible existence of more sophisticated means such as the use of toxic gas or agents which may be transmitted by contaminated food, water and air and may interest a large number of people. This book intends to put the attention on this problem and to demonstrate how easy it is in particular to contaminate food.

Four different sectors were analysed: bacteria, virus, parasites and pollutants and for each the possible agents and the facilities for creating diseases in many people through contaminated food are described. Also some species of common bacteria like Escherichia coli or Enterococci, present in many foods, may produce toxins, causing diarrhoea in a large number of persons as happened in China in 1991 when 224,000 persons were affected by contaminated ice cream. On the other hand parasites can also be transmitted by uncooked fish and reptile meat.

New diagnostic methods are also illustrated which in comparison to traditional methods permits quick analysis of many samples.

Product Description

Eleven years ago the circular DNA of a novel single-stranded virus has been cloned and partially characterized by Nishizawa and Okamoto and their colleagues. According to the initials of the patient from whom the isolate originated, the virus was named TT virus. This name has been subsequently changed by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) into Torque teno virus, permitting the further use of the abbreviation TTV. Although initially suspected to play a role in non A –E hepatitis, subsequent studies failed to support this notion.

Within a remarkably short period of time it became clear that TT viruses are widely spread globally, infect a large proportion of all human populations studied thus far and represent an extremely heterogeneous group of viruses, now labelled as Anelloviruses. TT virus-like infections have also been noted in various animal species. The classification of this virus group turns out to be difficult, their DNA contains between 2200 and 3800 nucleotides, related so-called TT-mini-viruses and a substantial proportion of intragenomic recombinants further complicate attempts to combine these viruses into a unifying phylogenetic concept.

Product Description
When AIDS was first reported in 1981, scientists disagreed about what caused the disease and how it was spread. Controversies continued when two different research groups claimed credit for identifying the virus called HIV as the cause of AIDS in 1984. These and related debates shook the scientific world and affected the development of AIDS research and prevention. (20020901) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Interesting
This was a very interesting book. It didn't know Polio could be so serious. It restaes quotes that Polio patients, survivors, and relatives of those who had Polio said. I sounded like a very frightening disease. The book told all about the diseases sypthoms. It also told about how things were after the vaccine came out. I will reccommend this book to people who are interested with U.S. disasters, or medical buisness ... Read more

Product Description
Looks at the disease known as West Nile fever caused by West Nile virus, tracing its history to the present and predicting its future. ... Read more

Product Description

The molecular evolution of viruses is fascinating and quite controversial, relevant to the evolution of living organisms, a determinant in pathogenesis by viruses, and amenable to detailed study in various laboratories around the globe. Evolution is the product of variation and selection. Genetic recombination is a major source of variation for evolutionary selection. Full understanding of virus evolution requires knowledge of the inventory of existing viruses, their distribution in biological space and time and their interactions with other viruses and living organisms.

The basic focus of this volume will be to trace the evolution (or accumulation) of biological identity systems from molecules to microbes, through animals to primate and human social structure. Overall, the volume will be organized so that it will trace the evolution of group identification systems from simple unicellular life forms, through the ‘tree of life’ all the way to complex hominid social structures. Such an evolutionary tracing has not been previously published, thus the book will develop and present a unique organization of information.

The focus of this book will also be to understand the mechanisms that allow group (social) identification and communication systems to function. Sensory identification systems, especially receptors, will be emphasized. In unicellular and early multicellular organisms, addiction modules (toxins and antitoxins, often from genetic parasites) are most commonly used as biological group identification systems. Later in evolution, odor receptors, in particular, provide a clear evolutionary trail that can be followed from microbes to humans. Photo and visual receptors are also considered along with the neurological systems that process receptor information. Visual and audio based social imprinting will also be presented.

In addition, the book will seek to understand the underlying evolutionary forces that drive the creation of group identification systems. In particular, ‘addiction’ based molecular strategies will be examined. A unique element of this book will be to evaluate the role of genetic parasites in the origination of such addiction modules. The recent explosion of genomic databases and information will be called on heavily as evidence for this part of the book.

Product Description

This book provides a comprehensive look at the field of plant virus evolution. It is the first book ever published on the topic. Individual chapters, written by experts in the field, cover plant virus ecology, emerging viruses, plant viruses that integrate into the host genome, population biology, evolutionary mechanisms and appropriate methods for analysis. It covers RNA viruses, DNA viruses, pararetroviruses and viroids, and presents a number of thought-provoking ideas.

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Customer Reviews (3)

excellent history of bacteriophages
Even though I have done a fair amount of study of bacteriophages this book informed me of much I didn't know.For example, the use of phages during an epidemic in Los Angeles in the '40's. Well written and highly recommended for anyone intrested in the history of this subject.

Interesting history of phage therapy and its possible future
This is mostly a history of bacteriophage therapy with an emphasis on the pioneering work of French bacteriologist Felix d'Herelle beginning before World War I.Much of the early work was done during the Great War in places like the Soviet Union to combat bacterial infection associated with battlefield wounds.D'Herelle himself went to such places as India to study cholera phages and was able to save the lives of many people.

Bacteriophages are viruses that exclusively attack bacteria much the same way other viruses attack our cells by invading and taking over the DNA machinery to reproduce themselves.After getting the bacterium to produce perhaps as many as a thousand or more viruses the phages burst open the bacteria cells walls with enzymes and flow out to attack other bacteria.With such a multiplier effect it doesn't take long to infect and destroy billions of bacteria.Typically there are some bacteria that are immune to the particular phage but their numbers are so small that our immune systems finish them off.Some of the cures in the book have been spectacular.Hausler reports on dying patients up and feeling fine in a day or two.

Over the years there were many such successes.However, because the actual studies and experiments were conducted with less rigor than modern standards require and because there were dosage problems and unsubstantiated claims, bacteriophage therapy has had a checkered history.When penicillin and other antibiotics came into widespread use in the forties, phage therapy was all but forgotten.Now with bacteria becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics, interest in phage therapy has returned.Hausler devotes a significant portion of the book to describing the problems and promises of phage therapy and explains why progress toward using phages against resistant bacteria has been so slow.

Where it seems likely that new successes will occur (and are occurring) is in veterinarian medicine.Until it becomes easier (and cheaper) to get phage products through the FDA in the US, most of the work will probably be with animals, especially those animals like cows, pigs, and chickens that become our food.With part of the problem of bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics due to their use in animal feed, using phage therapy instead, or in combination with antibiotics, could become widespread.

While it is true that bacteria evolve and become resistant to their phages, it is also true that phages themselves can evolve to bypass bacterial resistance.In other words there is a primordial "arms war" going on between phages and bacteria of which we can take advantage.One method microbiologists use to find phages that work against specific bacteria is to take water from sewers where the bacteria have been excreted from people or animals and search that water for phages.There will be found the phages that have evolved to attack the bacteria that have evolved!

The book has plenty of endnotes and a good index.Of special interest perhaps are the appendices, one listing common bacteria and what they do to us, and the other detailing the advantages and disadvantages of phage therapy.

All and all this is a good introduction to an exciting and promising area of medical science.But note well the question mark at the end of the book's subtitle: "A Solution to the Antibiotic Crisis?"It would appear that phage therapy will not solve the crisis by itself, but will most likely allow us to rely less on antibiotics, thereby allowing some antibiotics to be used for longer periods of time before bacterial resistance sets in.

Good, thorough telling of the story
Phage therapy, like passive immunization, is a great "back to the future" medical story. It has gotten some attention from science journalists but, to date, everybody has just told part of the story. Thomas Hausler, in writing "Viruses vs Superbugs", has filled out the story and offers a persuasive case for phage therapy's continued relevance. The history chapters are especially fascinating. I was not previously aware of the extent to which epidemiological studies had been conducted. ... Read more

Product Description
In a book that takes readers into the "hot zones" of today's most dangerous viral outbreaks, Dr. Frank Ryan presents a radical theory about the origins of these deadly microbes, and reveals what research scientists and doctors are doing to try and control them.Amazon.com Review
Who needs Stephen King when there are such real-life horrorsas those described in Dr. Frank Ryan's new book, Virus X tokeep sleep at bay? Such exotic killers as Ebola and NecrotizingFasciitis rub elbows with more familiar, if no less potentially lethal,diseases like tuberculosis as Dr. Ryan constructs a well-researchedand well-written study that reads more like a thriller than a sciencebook.The heroes are the doctors, nurses, and patients on thefrontlines of plague as well as the researchers at laboratories such as theCenters for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia; the enemies are themyriad new viruses and virulent new strains of old viruses that areemerging in ever greater numbers as this century wears to a close.

Dr. Ryan's answer for why so many plagues are ravaging the worldthese days is simple but chilling: a huge explosion in population (6billion people alive today versus 1.5 billion a century ago) and theresulting destruction of habitats has brought human beings intocontact with aggressive viruses that once lived beyond our reach; ourglobal transportation systems spread them.Virus X is not thefirst book to raise these issues, but it's a comprehensive one, makingfor gripping, frightening reading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Good Reading Treat- Wash Your Hands Thoroughly After
It was about the time of SARS and chicken scare and i was travelling with my toddler by bus from the border of Aranyaprathet to Phnom Penh.
I wanted to save the book for later as starving person hoardes away food. Alas I couldn't control myself. I finished the book on the bus. I was so into it that I wasn't dizzy at all the whole trip.

I've re-read it twice since and have added follow up books to broaden my knowlegde.
Very informative and truly scary. Ebola and such are the true horror stories.

A few days later I learned that my daughter's classmate's mother- a WHO doctor is a close personal friend of the Italian epidemologist who died of SARS within 48 hours in a Hongkong hospital. No one could get close to him as he was in a plastic tent in a glazed room. His loved ones watched him die from some distance. A man who is a professional in the science gets done in by an unknown virus. It was a surreal story that dovetailed with the books final chapter.

Who needs horror stories?

The human side of pandemics
Virus X details actual virus caused pandemics. It gives the how and why of the spread of virus caused diseases. It also relates personal anecdotes from scientists and victims of these diseases. Although it's an older book, it's well worth reading. I came away with the knowledge that viruses are mankind's greatest predator. I've written a scifi novel in which an alien species manipulates viruses to eliminate human beingsA Benwarian Fix: The Intercolonization of Earth using the understanding I gained from the book.

Fascinating
This is a fascinating book about viruses, mostly the dangerous ones. It is a combination of murder/mystery -- with stories about various viral outbreaks, how they first appeared, and how they were tracked down and in many cases partially contained -- and part scientific primer, delving into how the viruses actually work.

I walkd away amazed by the intricacy of viral operation, and how sophisticated viruses such as AIDS are, as well as engrossed by the human nature of the stories that unfolded.

Along with The Coming Plague, it makes for great, if not disquieting, reading.

loaded with information
This book was a tough read, mainly because of all the technical details.If you can slog through the heavy read, the theories and concepts in the book are very interesting and fuel for thought.

One of the best Germ books I've read
This book is incredibly well-researched and well-written. Frank Ryan's look at emerging viruses is thorough and engaging. He gives enough molecular biology background that readers with a shaky biology background can understand disease mechanisms at the cellular level AND he manages to keep it from getting too dry. Ryan covers the emergence of the hantaviruses, Machupo, Lassa, Ebola, and HIV as well as touching on a few emerging bacteria such as Beta hemolytic streptococcus.

My favorite chapter is 16, The Aggressive Symbiont, in which the author discusses the theme of coevolution as it applies to viruses and their hosts. He suggests first a closer look at the concept of intelligence, defining it as "the ability to receive important information about its surroundings and then to be able to change its behavior, perhaps its very heredity, so as to respond to that information" (p. 302). Instinct is an example of such intelligence, and as another example, he cites "genomic intelligence" to refer to the "capacity of the genome to be both receptive and responsive to nature" (p. 303). He suggests that this genomic intelligence leads viruses to evolve with their natural hosts from a predator-prey relationship to a symbiotic equilibrium in which the virus becomes non-lethal to the host (p. 308).

Ryan suggests that, like ants that are symbionts with rattan cane in Borneo and attack herbivores who try to eat the cane, viruses come to an "aggressive symbiosis" with their hosts (p. 309). The viruses protect their hosts by infecting beings (human and otherwise) who encroach on the host's ecological niche. ... Read more

Product Description
A fast paced techno thriller, in the vein of Michael Crichton, "The Butterfly Virus" takes you on an action packed thrill ride into the unthinkable. Dr. Daniel Lamb, a renowned genetic engineer working on a revolutionary breakthrough in human cloning technology, is called into action when an unknown virus breaks out in the southwest. They gain an ally in John Featherstone, an archeologist, whose work on ancient Native American cultures provides a critical key to the unfolding global events.Why is the military activating Operation Cave Eagle?Why are some people immune?Will Daniel and his team be able to survive a global outbreak and save mankind?The secret is found only within the pages of The Butterfly Virus: A Thriller. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

GREAT STORYTELLER
Disregard the one star reviews, please see the comments on these unsubstantiated reviews.

Victor Grippi is a great storyteller who has written an AMAZING book, The Butterfly Virus. The storyline follows the work of two genetic scientists as they travel to Arizona to find the source of a new bizarre spreading virus. This story is fresh, original, and the character arcs of both Dr. Daniel Lamb and Dr. Tanya Galen are truly amazing. We witness these two top scientists as they shed their scientific identities, and learn to connect to each other.

This book is also multi-genre, it is a techno-thriller, a romance, a medical thriller, and a science fiction masterpiece all rolled up into one tightly written book. Perhaps this is the source of confusion for readers unable to cross genres, unable to grasp simple concepts?

The symbolism of the settings, the pathology of the virus, the interaction of all characters in the story reinforces the underlying storyline of an apocalyptic event the government is hiding from the public. The Grand Canyon area is a mysterious setting for the secret operations of a team of government scientists studying an anomaly that threatens the entire planet. I could not put down this book once I started reading.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for great entertainment.

Don't waste your money
Complete waste of time and money.The book was poorly written, with grammatical errors, and even misspelled words.Seems like the book was published as a first draft.The story line is hard to follow as it jumps back and forth between topics.I actually read half the book, and then gave up.I wish I could have my time back.

JUST AMAZING - STUNNING MEDICAL THRILLER
Don't listen to the one star hate review. This is part of an effort to attack independent authors. You can read the first 5 pages in the "Look Inside" feature to see for yourself. VERY READABLE.

Great medical thriller with an original and fresh angle about a new form of virus and the heroic efforts of a team of genetic engineers to combat it. Very realistic Southwest setting provides the backdrop as the story unfolds. I love the interaction of the Hualapai people and their response to the encroaching government presence on their native lands. I became immersed as the story progressed.

I enjoyed the synergy between the two main characters, Dr. Daniel Lamb and Dr. Tanya Galen, and found their relationship added to the suspense of the storyline.

I fully recommend this book. It's a medical thriller written in a fresh techno-style that I found very enjoyable to read. Something not found on generic boring mainstream bookshelves.

Don't be intimidated by the second page, keep reading!

Just awful
This was very difficult to read. It seems as though it was not edited. The grammatical and style errors were so numerous that they were incredibly distracting. I gave up trying to understand what the author was trying to convey after the first two pages. I have never been unable to finish a book before. Unless you enjoy editing your novels with a red pen as you are reading them, I suggest skipping this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Published since 1953, Advances in Virus Research covers a diverse range of in-depth reviews providing a valuable overview of the current field of virology.
In 2004, the Institute for Scientific Information released figures showing that the series has an Impact Factor of 2.576, with a half-life of 7.1 years, placing it 11th in the highly competitive category of Virology.

* Edited by an experienced plant pathologist who has over 50 years experience in plant virus epidemiology
* Covers topics such as Evolutionary epidemiology of plant virus disease, The control of tropical plant virus diseases, and Control of plant virus diseases
* A valuable resource for students and researchers alike ... Read more

Product Description
Why is religion so incredibly tenacious?Why do intelligent people believe the universe is only six thousand years old?How can so many people believe the Bible, written over two thousand years ago, is 100% accurate in every respect?

Using the powerful new science of cultural evolution called "memetics" -- how ideas spread and mutate as they move across society and down through history -- Craig James takes us on a fascinating tour of religion's peculiar and convoluted history.

Religions evolve, not metaphorically, but in a very real way.By applying "survival of the fittest" principles to religions, James shows shows us how religion became incredibly infectious to the average human.

Dan Barker, president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and author of "Godless" calls it "Ingenious."He goes on to say, "Craig James has cracked open the mystery of Religion's tenacity. What Guns, Germs and Steel did for anthropology, The Religion Virus does for faith. It puts the pieces together into a fascinating, coherent model that makes sense!"

Phil Steele, editor of "The Passion of Ayn Rand's Critics" says The Religion Virus is "Full of powerful, ground-breaking ideas, packaged in a deceptively simple, easy-reading style. This is the most fun I've had reading non-fiction in a long time."

Darwin's Theory of Evolution revolutionized our understanding of biology, turning it from a science that could merely categorize into a science that predicts and explains the amazing variety of life on this wonderful planet of ours. In the same tradition, by applying these evolutionary principles to culture we can predict and explain the history of religion itself.

Religion's evolution had made it perfectly adapted to its environment, your mind.You'll learn why paganism's decline and the rise of monotheism were inevitable.You'll learn why intolerance and persecution are a necessary part of a dominant world religion, and why persecution is critical to the survival of Judaism.Heaven and hell, guilt, irrational faith and many other ideas are shown to be the inevitable outcome of the inexorable forces of cultural evolution.

This Kindle edition is published by the author with the permission of O-Books.A paperback version is also available on Amazon.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Going viral, indeed
Craig James brings up some interesting issues, not just about atheism, but tangential stuff. One is that James points out the "perfect storm" necessary to make humans human, in the sense of our intelligence and other hallmarks that make our species dominant: not just our large brain size, but our opposable thumbs, bipedal status, omnivorousness and the like. Leave out any one of these and we wouldn't be what we are.
Also, the title doesn't necessarily refer to virus in the negative sense (although that, too), but to the replication process, as in viral video.
Memes, especially the violent and negative ones of Xianity and Islam, explain how those two religions came to dominate the world. Without these traits, they would basically be, well, just religions like any other. Interesting way of thinking of it.

A Very Fun and Informative Read.
One day while I was conducting some on-line research, I happened across Craig James' website, and, quite frankly, I am glad that I did. During the course of some written exchanges on his website, I quickly came to the conclusion that he is a reflective and, equally so, a thought-provoking person. One thing I discovered about Craig; he is able to take complex ideas and place them into easy-to-understand ways; indeed, an invaluable ability for a writer. As a result, I decided to purchase his book and over the Fourth of July weekend, I gave it a read, and I can tell you that the explanatory power of this book is, indeed, astonishing. As I read the first twenty to thirty pages, my overriding thought was, "Wow, the explanatory power of this book is very similar to Jared Diamond's, `Guns, Germs and Steel.'" After reading the back cover, it appears that I am not the only one who happens to think so.

Craig uses the forces of evolution to explain how certain concepts are transformed from mere ideas into powerful and widely accepted cultural beliefs, or memes. In short, Craig explains that, much like living organisms, these powerful ideas (memes) are being shaped constantly by outside forces, namely culture. And, like a virus, once these memes are firmly embedded within their host, it takes a miracle to dislodge them; if you'll pardon the pun. As Craig notes, there isn't any better example of a meme than religious belief: "This is the hallmark of cultural evolution of a memeplex: It is information that is passed, very deliberately, very reliably, and with high fidelity, from one person to the next, from parent to child, from generation to generation. Religion is the all-time best self-replicating meme complex in the history of humans" (Craig 72). This passage sort of reminds me of the old Human Resources idiom, "Perception is reality." For the obtuse, this may be true.

There was a bit of irony here for on the way home from our weekend trip, I was explaining to my wife (who is English) about the English Moths, and how, because of the industrial revolution in England, their environment had changed rapidly. Later during the trip home, I was searching for clear stations I happened across a station where someone was talking about the English moths. As it turns out, it was a religious station, and the pastor was making these great proclamations that he was astonished to find out how many Americans believe in evolution. He went on to state that there wasn't any evidence to support evolution, yet more and more people believe it to be true. It occurred to me that, as a cultural generalization, Americans aren't just merely ignorant; we have become a culture which has actually become anti-intellectual. To this end, I hope Craig's book will help shed some light into the darkness we call religion. ... Read more

Product Description
Thought viruses are unconscious thought patterns that distort our thinking and
perception of the world. They can have a crippling effect on our professional and personal lives, leading to internal conflict, depression, failed relationships, and even serious health problems. Dr. Donald Lofland's latest book, Thought Viruses, integrates the tools of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, the life-transforming system of personal empowerment, with mind-body healing techniques that will help readers pinpoint and eradicate the destructive viruses in their lives.
        Dr. Lofland's skillful explanation of the types and structures of thought
viruses shows readers how these self-defeating glitches in thinking strongly parallel biological and computer viruses in their capacity to take on a life of their own, self-replicate, and destabilize an entire system. He teaches readers why these
toxins stall healthy mental activity and identifies how they manifest in our bodies in a variety of different forms, including debilitating fears of failure; excessive worry and guilt; compulsions and addictions; self-sabotaging tendencies; and
internal conflicts that can trigger chronic, degenerative disease. Using his groundbreaking "Thought Virus Therapy" and step-by-step interactive exercises, Dr. Lofland teaches readers to reverse the emotional and psychological triggers that lead to self-destructive behavior and health problems and helps them move toward psychological and spiritual wholeness.

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Customer Reviews (6)

Can't live without it!
I found this book to be a perfect compliment to "the power of positive thinking" and "the biology of belief."It is not full of abstract ideas - which are highly beneficial, but take a while to digest in order to be implemented - but I found it to be full of practical ideas to be implemented imediately.I read it daily and find new information and aspects to it every time I read it!

Read this with an open mind
Thought Viruses is an excellent book but takes a long time to read if you actually do the exercises which are probably worth doing; although I didn't spend the time to do them all.

Donald Lofland is a neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) practioner.He also has a PH.D and he talks about how we can change our thought patterns and re-program ourselves to reach the success that we want.

With Spring coming on, I am starting to get hay fever and allergies and there was an interesting chapter on how using an NLP, someone can cure allergies.This is definitely something that I am looking to try.If anyone knows a good NLP practioner, I would be interested in speaker to her or him.

There are a total of 40 exercises in the book on everything from discovering your mission, setting life goals, setting priorities in life, looking at your personal uniqueness and your values, etc., through to looking at specific thought patterns.

The book makes some unbelievable claims.Read it with an open mind though.Sometimes the unbelievable is true(and I am a hard driving suspicious CEO)

This book is worth reading.

I CAN SEE THE MIND WORKING
This is a wonderfull book. It shows in a clear and easy way, the processing of our thoughts and becomes possible to change what is not worthwhile. It shows us the ways to change our programing and our estrategies of thought.

Better go elsewhere for help
Unless you believe that there really are such things as brain farts and brain viruses (pleeease, let's not dilute the real meaning of the word virus, computer viruses are enough), I highly recommend that you buy something based on real science, not pseudoscience, such as NLP. It is bad enough that there are already so many people in this world who are followers of NLP.

Cheezy title, if you ask me!
Title designed to get attention.Doesn't bode well for what's inside. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

One Terrific Book
An eye opener. I was loaned this book by one of the reviewers on this site and then ordered one of my own. I had to fight to get the book back from anyone I loaned it to.

I knew many people who were associated with the Kennedy assassination. Worked for Willard Robertson, when he funded the Garrison investigation. Know people who employed Oswald as a numbers runner in New Orleans, know people central in the book "They Killed Kennedy", and knew people in the Cuban resistence movement who were in training on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain in the late 50s until the mid 60s.

One friend whose father was in the Cuban movement pointed out David Ferrie's house to me on Louisiana Avenue Parkway a few weeks before he died and said at that time that Ferrie was a part of the Anti-Castro group.

So, it was with interest that I read this book. My interest got peaked the more I read and this is one story that should be made into a movie and it will be thought of as fiction, because it will be almost too strange for people to believe, though it comes closer to the truth than anyone would like to admit.

So, when I think of the 60s I remember the CIA people I met through others and the strange characters in the once international city of New Orleans and can only hope that the truth can be allowed to be seen and read.

I give it a five star rating and hope that everyone gets a chance to read this strange and interesting book.

Comments from the author's Sister
Growing up in the same home as Edward Haslam, I remember so many of these events as they happened -- an apparent series of unrelated and bizarre events, the significance of which would only become clear to me years later when I read an early draft of my brother's book, years after my diagnosis with breast cancer at the age of 39 (as mentioned in the book.) If you are a thinking adult whose life or loved ones have been touched by cancer, you need to find the courage to read this book. A new edition is about to be published under a new name and you can pre-order it from Amazon at an attractive price.(I have 5 copies on order myself to share with friends.) The new title is "Dr. Mary's Monkey: How the Unsolved Murder of a Doctor, a Secret Laboratory in New Orleans and Cancer-Causing Monkey Viruses are Linked to Lee Harvey Oswald, ... Assassination and Emerging Global Epidemics". I have no financial interest in the book, only a belief that the time has come to reveal this information to a wider audience.

No Monkey Business Here
This investigation into the unsolved murder of Dr. Mary Sherman is a well-crafted and original expose, arguably of one our nation's worse mistakes. But also perhaps of one of its best-kept secrets.

Over a period of nearly 30 years, the author juxtaposes and correlates a collection of disparate medical facts, police reports, and related events with the activities of an assortment of characters in an around the environs of New Orleans during the Garrison investigation of the JFK assassination. The main characters include a world class Orthopedic Bone Specialist (Dr. Mary Sherman) and an eccentric washed-up CIA operative implicated in the assassination of JFK (Dave Ferrie), and Lee Harvey Oswald, no less.

The question that animates the investigation is why should a world class Medical Specialist like Dr. Sherman be running in the same circles as a self-taught egomaniacal misfit like Ferrie? The book is the author's search for an answer. From these elements, he weaves together a very plausible story about how medical experiments at a secret run underground government medical facility, may have gone awry -- resulting in Dr. Sherman's death and in the current silent epidemic of soft tissue cancers. There is even a hint that what went on in that secret facility may also be implicated in the inadvertent creation of the current AIDS pandemic.

Far from being the convoluted and speculative machinations of a conspiracy crackpot, the author's fiercely logical approach and resourcefulness would put some of our most seasoned investigators to shame. To say that it reads like a novel would be an understatement.Five stars.

Riveting Reading (and true as far as I can tell)
Ed Haslam has written a landmark book of investigative journalism. It is a well-written page turner that is a "must read" for anyone interested in what has really gone on in this country in the last 40 years.I have lived in New Orleans since Mary Sherman was murdered here, and personally know many of the people mentioned in this book.As far as I can tell this book is completely truthful.Mr. Haslam tells you when he is speculating and when he is giving you facts.This book has my highest recommendation.

INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCH AT ITS FINEST!
As a producer for two national talk show hosts, I can honestly say this is one of the finest and most thought provoking books I've read.Ed Haslam's book is a major dot connector.Think about it.We already know thanks toA & E's Investigative Reports that Oswald did NOT kill Kennedy, butthat's not the big jist of this book. What needs to be understood is thatthe polio virus vaccine all the baby boomers received via shots and sugarcubes in the 50s and 60s was contaminated with SV-40 Simian MonkeyVirus...the results...an epidemic of soft tissue cancer.And SV-40 showsup in autopsies of cancer victims.However, even more horrific is that theSV-40 contamination does not end with those of us that received the poliovaccine.It is passed to our children and grandchilren even though theyhave not received the vaccine.Who is responsible?Ed Haslam's fabulousresearch was given to us in this book in 1995, and five years later, in theFebruary, 2000 issue of Atlantic Monthly, it is finally discussed by the"regular" media.Stop and think about this...Plutoniumexperiments from 1936 through the cold war on unsuspectingAmericans,radiation experiments on military men, the Tuskegee, Alabamasyphillis experiments, the depleted uranium issues from Desert Storm, andcountless others...this book exposes another form of deception and coverup. If this book doesn't make you think and do even more research, then you'rein denial and have your head in the sand.There are countless other booksthat should be on the suggested reading list after reading Ed's fabulouswork, but Amazon hasn't listed them.Please read Pulitzer Prize winner,Eileen Welsome's book, THE PLUTONIUM FILES, then read Martin A. Lee's THEBEAST REAWAKENS, and if you can find a used copy, get Borkin's THE CRIMEAND PUNISHMENT OF I.G. FARBEN.

Ed's book is superb and written in astyle that is easily assimilated.Buy it, buy two, give one to a friend,loan your copy, but get it out...and connect the dots! ... Read more

Product Description
This book addresses the gaps in our knowledge of foodborne viruses, and the implication of these gaps. It explains what lessons we can learn from the past about early detection and control of (emerging) viral infections. It looks at the role of viral changes through mutation and recombination on their biological properties and epidemiology. It features chapters written by leading scientists in the field, who have been encouraged to provide a challenging in depth discussion and share their vision for future directions. It intends to provide a basis to help scientists and risk managers as they decide on the best options for controlling food-borne disease. ... Read more

Product Description
Varicella-zoster virus is a common human pathogen that causes varicella (chickenpox), establishes latency in sensory nerve ganglia and can reactivate many years later as herpes zoster. VZV is the only human herpesvirus for which vaccines to prevent both primary and recurrent infection are approved and VZV vaccines have had significant public health benefits. These achievements and new directions that are unfolding are described in this review of VZV basic and clinical research ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first text to examine the connection between virology and human disease. It is also the first book to integrate basic virology with pathophysiological conditions. By contrast, most virology textbooks focus on the molecular biology involved without adequate reference to physiology. Viruses and Human Disease is four-color throughout and contains clearly labeled figures and tables.

Key Features
*Provides a concise overview of animal viruses, emphasizing those causing diseases in humans;
* Integrates discussion of molecular biology, epidemiology, and the history of human viruses;
* Presents treatment of prions, gene therapy, and vaccine development;
* Illustrated in color by an expert virologist;
* Includes world maps depicting the current distribution of existing and newly emerging viruses ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hard to read
I think that this book is very hard to read.There are a lot of terms that the author just assumes that you know.There is not a section at the end of each chapter for students to answer questions-which helps me study.There is not a glossary or appendix.This book just throws you in and expects you to know a lot. ... Read more