Description

Scientific truth, and the vast benefits of modern medicine, are under sustained attack from conspiracy theorists. Not since the nineteenth century has there been such a relentless assault on tried and tested science.

In this urgent history of anti-vaccine arguments, Thomas Levenson traces the alarming rhetoric of figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Ron DeSantis back to its roots, examining how their very same talking points have been regurgitated since the early eighteenth century. But what once started as justifiable skepticism of an emerging science is now completely divorced from reality. As Levenson demonstrates, vaccines themselves have transformed beyond recognition, but anti-vaccine rants echo the same meaningless tropes long after they have become obsolete.

This history is vital for our understanding of the political and cultural landscape as it mutates into ever-more terrifying forms. With wit and acerbity, Levenson offers a thorough dissection of anti-vaccine arguments and sets out undeniable evidence for the necessity of inoculation.

Levenson warns, above all, of the dangers of proliferation – of anti-vaccine misinformation, and relatedly, of deadly disease and suffering. It is only in understanding these fools that we can begin to stop them.

Publisher Review

This is a passionate book, on a subject that deservedly raises passions. Lethal epidemics of smallpox, polio, measles, pertussis and COVID-19 have been parallelled by memetic epidemics of anti-vaccine scare-mongering. Thomas Levenson documents the history, from honestly mistaken sceptics of previous centuries (Alfred Russell Wallace, Herbert Spencer) to today’s villains (Andrew Wakefield, Donald Trump) and charlatans (Robert Kennedy Jr). At a time when vaccine science should be celebrating its greatest triumphs, this book could hardly be more important. — Richard Dawkins FRS, author of The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker Brimming with righteous anger, this book should infuriate you for all the right reasons, and arm you to take on the grifters and their war against science. — Adam Rutherford, author of How to Argue with a Racist This highly readable account of how vaccines have saved millions of lives is a call to arms for anyone who cares about the future of vaccine confidence. — Meredith Wadman Levenson serves up this powerful, timely and important book about a technology that has extended and saved hundreds of millions of lives, and the incredible story of why we’ve begun to turn our backs on it. — Kevin Fong In this desperately urgent book, Tom Levenson masterfully weaves science and history to explain why no health measure has saved quite so many lives as vaccines, and why it flies in the face of reason for health officials to turn their backs on them now. I hope absolutely everyone reads this. — Angela Saini Since the 1800 dawn of the age of vaccines the life-saving miracles have had their opponents, decrying immunization its public health advocates. The anti vax arguments aren’t new, as Tom Levenson shows. Only the fear-mongering voices have changed, now led by RFK, Jr. A Pox of Fools is your go-to guide for countering the mendacity and conspiratorial thinking. — Laurie Garrett, bestselling author of The Coming Plague A Pox on Fools is a triumph – a tiny, mighty book and a stark reminder that vaccines have made us victims of our own success. Vaccines have been so effective at controlling measles and other childhood infections that many of those diseases are essentially forgotten. Levenson’s book shows how far we have come and calls out the lies and hypocrisy of anti-vaccine politicians who exploit our collective amnesia and endanger public health. It should be required reading for anyone living in this absurd and perilous time. — Adam Ratner, MD, MPH, author of Booster Shots Enlightening… a trenchant demonstration of how contemporary antivax ideology is not only inaccurate but rooted in outmoded, antimodern sentiments. * Publishers Weekly *