Infectious agents have been prime movers of whole populations, economies, and societies, and our age is not exempt just because it arrives on a plane rather than a ship. Author Youngerman helps those who wish to inform themselves and others about pandemics, starting by looking at examples of mass infection in the US and elsewhere. He explains the primary sources available for study, gives advice on how to conduct research, provides some relevant facts and figures and describes key players. He closes with information on organizations and agencies that can supply information for research and an annotated bibliography. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)