Kennedy (politics and global health, Queen Mary Univ. of London) argues that the trajectory of all human history has been directed, at least in part, by germs. Providing a measured, well-modulated narration of his own work, Kennedy applies the latest research in archaeology, biology, and forensic medicine to show how microbes have played an outsize role in human organization, trade, and political power. Pathogens likely caused the extinction of previous human species (there used to be at least four 700,000 years ago). Plagues decimated European, Chinese, and Neanderthal populations. Smallpox, plague, and malaria accounted for the collapse of the Roman Empire; yellow fever and malaria were likely transported when transatlantic enslavers forced people into enslavement in the New World. Novel pathogens introduced in the Americas weakened Indigenous populations, making it relatively easy for Europeans to conquer them. COVID is the latest example of a pathogen that may have a lasting effect on human behavior. Kennedy makes an excellent argument for the importance of germs in human life. He covers millions of years of human history, linking political, economic, and religious changes to significant epidemics throughout history. VERDICT Kennedy’s lucid presentation makes for an accessible and compelling listen. Pair with Timothy C. Winegard’s The Mosquito.