For this installment of our weekly book reviews from Booklist, the American Library Association’s nationally distributed book and media review publication, we have Tony Miksanek’s review of “The Cure for Everything: The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving” by Michelle Williams and Linda Marsa, first published July 8, 2026, in Booklist Online.
Enjoy.
“The Cure for Everything: The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving”
By Michelle Williams and Linda Marsa. February 2026. 432p. One World, $32 (9780593595541); e-book (9780593595558).
The noble goal of the public health system is “to enhance the health and well-being of everyone.” Epidemiologist Williams and journalist Marsa take measure of the public health sector’s many great achievements (eradication of smallpox) as well as its occasional stumbles (erosion of trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Problems tackled by public health personnel include infectious diseases, malnutrition, substance abuse and addiction, maternal and infant mortality, environmental toxins, and violence. Most striking is the importance of “place” as a powerful driver of health. The authors write, “Zip codes are more important than genetic codes as a predictor of health and longevity.” Colonialism, the rise of large cities, improved sanitation, the germ theory of illness, occupational safety, data analysis, societal inequities, and a brief history of the CDC receive attention. The Civil War precipitated a “Medical Armageddon” of infections but was also a turning point in the evolution of public health and the nursing profession. A chilling chapter on gun violence provides numerous disturbing statistics, including the fact that more than half of firearm deaths result from suicides. A worthwhile introduction to the aim, accomplishments, and aspirations of the public health system.— Tony Miksanek
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