House on Fire

The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox

| 4.45 | 320 ratings and reviews

Recommended by Bill Gates, Thomas Frieden, and 2 others. See all reviews

Ranked #5 in Forensic Medicine, Ranked #10 in Virus — see more rankings.

A story of courage and risk-taking, House on Fire tells how smallpox, a disease that killed, blinded, and scarred millions over centuries of human history, was completely eradicated in a spectacular triumph of medicine and public health. Part autobiography, part mystery, the story is told by a man who was one of the architects of a radical vaccination scheme that became a key strategy in ending the horrible disease when it was finally contained in India.

In House on Fire, William H. Foege describes his own experiences in public health and details the remarkable... more

Reviews and Recommendations

We've comprehensively compiled reviews of House on Fire from the world's leading experts.

Bill Gates CEO/MicrosoftThis book gives you a great view from the front lines of that battle. (Source)

Thomas Frieden House on Fire is a fantastic book about the fight to eradicate smallpox. Before becoming director, Foege led the efforts to eradicate smallpox in India and Africa and came up with a key innovation that led to eradication. As one of the staff at the CDC said of this book, “Even though we know how it comes out, it’s still a page-turner”. It’s so exciting. (Source)

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