IRB Intro #2: The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story by Richard Preston

Over the past few decades, many serious diseases have ravaged the planet, prompting panic and death wherever they spread; HIV/AIDS and H1N1, especially, have been the target of much media scrutiny, studies into vaccines and cures, and cautionary tales.  However, there are other diseases, not quite as well known, that are still quite terrifying and often deadly.  In his book The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story, written in 1994, Richard Preston describes the events surrounding the discovery or outbreak of several types of viral hemorrhagic fevers, which are often incredibly lethal to humans and primates.  The book's focus is on Reston virus, which cropped up near Washington, D.C., and it was hailed by critics as horrific but informative.  Preston has written numerous pieces on similar topics and is known for doing a lot of background research to make his books, essays, and articles as factual as possible. 
I've always been a fan of fictional stories about pandemics and epidemics; the films Contagion, Outbreak, and I am Legend fascinate me, and I love learning about things like the Black Death and the effect they had on history.  Since I always have to choose a non-fiction book for my IRB, I thought I'd never get to read anything very dramatic or creatively written about serious diseases.  However, once I heard of The Hot Zone and learned it was a non-fiction book that was written like a bio-thriller, I was very excited to read it.  I hope that I learn a lot from this book about ebola and associated diseases so I can understand the havoc they wreak upon the world, while still getting to follow an excellent story.