About the Book
"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 program that involved people from countries around the world in pursuit of a single objective: eliminating smallpox forever. Rich with the details of everyday life, as well as a few adventures, House on Fire gives an intimate sense of what it is like to work on the ground in some of the world's most impoverished countries -- and tells what it is like to contribute to programs that really do change the world"--Dust jacket.
Book Synopsis
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 program that involved people from countries around the world in pursuit of a single objective--eliminating smallpox forever. Rich with the details of everyday life, as well as a few adventures, House on Fire gives an intimate sense of what it is like to work on the ground in some of the world's most impoverished countries--and tells what it is like to contribute to programs that really do change the world.
From the Back Cover
"Bill Foege takes us inside the world's greatest public health triumph: the eradication of smallpox. It's a story of true determination, passion and courage. The story of smallpox should encourage all of us to continue the critical work of worldwide disease eradication."--Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
"Bill Foege is one of the public health giants of our times. He was responsible for the design of the campaign that eradicated smallpox--the most important global health achievement in history and possibly the greatest feat in any field of international cooperation. His insights into the nature of this major event will undoubtedly help to meet the global health challenges of the 21st century."--Julio Frenk, M.D, PhD, Dean, Harvard School of Public Health
"The eradication of a disease has long been the holy grail of global health and Bill Foege found it: more than any other person, he was responsible for the eradication of smallpox from the face of the earth. This is a story told by a remarkably humble man, about the extraordinary coalition that he helped to build, and the most impressive global health accomplishment the world has ever seen."--Mark Rosenberg, author of Real Collaboration: What It Takes for Global Health to Succeed
"I am thrilled that Bill Foege, one of the great heroes of the smallpox eradication campaign, has written this important book. It tells a beautiful human story of an incredible public health triumph, and is full of lessons that could be applied to many of the global challenges we face today."--Helene D. Gayle MD, President and CEO, CARE USA
"Bill Foege's House on Fire is the first-hand account of how a revised strategy to eradicate smallpox was tested, validated, and applied. Without the global adoption of this new surveillance strategy, the final deathblow to this longtime global menace might never have been dealt."--Adetokunbo O. Lucas, MD, DSc, author of It Was The Best of Times: From Local to Global Health
"Smallpox is the most devastating disease the world has known, as it destroyed lives and shaped history over the centuries. House on Fire provides a day-to-day account by my friend Dr. Bill Foege of the battle required to defeat this wily and diabolic virus."--President Jimmy Carter
Review Quotes
"House on Fire is a reminder of the importance of preventive medicine and will lead readers to an appreciation of all of the lives that would have otherwise been lost if the challenge to prevent smallpox had not been met."-- "Journal of the American Medical Association"
"[Foege] bounces the reader along with him in his jeep, on motorbikes over rugged terrain and on bustling trains. . . . [And] shows what can be accomplished when governments and thousands of health workers focus on a single objective. "-- "Wall Street Journal"
"[Foege] writes a mixture of memoir, dry public health guide and riveting tale of an all-consuming mission."-- "New Scientist"
"A fascinating account"-- "Bulletin of the Royal College of Pathologists"
"A fascinating human interest account that is expertly merged with scientific facts. . . . House on Fire is an inspiring story that portrays the remarkable efforts of a courageous physician and public health leader."-- "Journal of Community Health"
"A great, quick, and intensely personal read about the inside story of Foege's revolutionary idea and powerful actions. . . . Foege was wise before his time."-- "Medpage Today"
"A readable and thorough account by a key player in this outstanding victory for public health."-- "Library Journal"
"Demonstrate[s] the enormous benefit that can accrue to mankind when a determined and ambitious band of individuals come together. . . . "[An] extraordinary story."-- "Lancet"
"Dr. Foege's book . . . remind[s] us how fragile life looks."-- "New York Times"
"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. . . . Foege describes his own experiences in public health and details the remarkable program that involved people from countries around the world in pursuit of a single objective--eliminating smallpox forever."-- "Guardian"
About the Author
William H. Foege is Emeritus Presidential Distinguished Professor of International Health, Emory University, and a Gates Fellow. Before becoming director of the CDC, he was chief of its Smallpox Eradication Program. Foege is the author of Global Health Leadership and Management.
