FICTION

Dangerous Diseases: Scary Illnesses That Frighten the World

by Jennifer SWANSON
9781476539270. ea vol: 32p. (Scary Science Series). bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Capstone. 2014. lib. ed. $26.65. pap. $7.95.
COPY ISBN
Gr 4–7—Decidedly not for the weak of stomach, these provocative surveys aim to shock—and, by and large, succeed. Top Secret Science, the mildest of the lot, covers suppressed government projects from Britain's World War II anthrax research to Area 51 and other U.S. "black ops" but only mentions Nazi concentration camp experiments in passing. The other volumes go for the (dis)gusto: from photos of a smallpox victim on the cover of Dangerous Diseases and equally disturbing views of animal vivisection in Mutant Animals to accounts of Mad Scientists who drank the vomit of a yellow fever patient, self removed an appendix, or kept a dog's head alive. Some of the photos are uncaptioned filler, but mesmerized readers are unlikely to notice, much less mind.
Top-secret weapons, projects, human experiments, spy programs--this book looks at various clandestine government-sanctioned programs from different countries. The high-interest topic will attract readers, even though the actual information is cursory. The choppy text, which plays up the sensational, is supported by captioned photos and fact boxes. Budding conspiracy theorists will find this a good entry point. Reading list. Glos., ind.
Reviewed by John Peters , Apr 01, 2014

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