First published 2019
Timothy C. Winegard reveals how a tiny insect weighing no more than a grape seed became humanity's most influential predator. The mosquito killed an estimated 52 billion people out of 108 billion who ever lived, fundamentally altering the course of civilization. Winegard traces this creature's impact across millennia, explaining why British colonists favored gin and tonic, how Starbucks owes its success to mosquito-borne diseases, and what gave George Washington his secret advantage during the American Revolution. The author demonstrates how female mosquitoes determined the outcomes of wars, toppled empires, and devastated economies. From protecting popes to forcing Scotland's political surrender to England, these insects operated as agents of historical change on every continent. Winegard argues that without mosquitoes, human history would be completely unrecognizable. Through fast-paced storytelling and surprising connections, the book reveals how this universal pest shaped our modern world order more than any other species we share the planet with.
Genres: history, science, social-science, non-fiction
Vibes: fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: narrative-non-fiction
486 pages · Hardcover · Dutton