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American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 155, No. 1 : 101
Copyright © 2002 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

BOOK REVIEWS

From the Editor

Warren Winkelstein, Jr.

I am writing this note a little more than a month (October 22) after the dreadful happenings at the World Trade Center in New York City and at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. During that interval, I have several times attempted to write something meaningful and interesting for your consideration. However, each attempt has been aborted by the feeling that a focus on books for epidemiologists is pretty trivial right now, given the events of the day. Then, yesterday, a thought came to me that I would like to share with you.

Books of any and all kinds are the tangible representation of society's aspirations, actions, knowledge, and culture. Books are the embodiment of power. Recognition of this phenomenon was certainly a factor in the establishment of libraries in all the great nations of antiquity, as well as in modern times (1Go, 2Go). The power of the written word has also inspired zealots and despots to ravage libraries and burn the books of dissenters and those whom they would persecute.

Thus, even in a time of crisis, it would be ill-advised to trivialize the importance of books. In fact, literature is an essential ingredient in the struggle against terrorism, as it acts as an antidote to ignorance, prejudice, and fanaticism—the foundations of terrorism. Epidemiology is destined to have a central role in the control of bioterrorism, in particular. Thus, the literature of the profession must continue to inform and inspire its practitioners.

REFERENCES

  1. Johnson ED, Harris MH. History of libraries in the western world. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, Inc, 1976.
  2. Jackson SL. Libraries and librarianship in the West. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1974.

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Am. J. Epidemiol., March 1, 2002; 155(5): 485 - 485.
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