Praise for Inside the Hot Zone
harvard magazine “off the shelf:”
“His thriller-like account…is a timely reminder that alongside natural threats (Ebola, coronavirus), life sciences can be weaponized in stealthy, alarming ways.”
The New York Post:
“The Terror of Catching Ebola inside a Government Superbug Lab…Fortunately, Kortepeter was no stranger to high-pressure situations.”
The Washington Times:
“To understand and appreciate the bravery of the scientists working to protect our nation from such bio-epidemics, as well as how the U.S. military goes about protecting its troops from such threats, “Inside the Hot Zone” is a terrifying, but indispensable guide.”
Military Review:
“It is a great successor to Richard Preston’s The Hot Zone and will captivate readers from start to finish. I highly recommend this to all members of the military regardless of rank or branch of service. It is very informative and easy to read.”
from Netgalley:
Steven G. - Reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful autobiography at the intersection of history and science.
“I loved this book...What I loved most about the book was the interplay between science and politics. The book reads more like a thriller than a work of nonfiction. I also liked the way Kortepeter related to the reader; he’s one of those rare authors that, when I finished the book, I felt like I had lost a friend. Although I liked Richard Preston’s “Crisis in the Red Zone” I found the book by Kortepeter more interesting and less bogged down by minutiae. I strongly recommend it.”
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Rosemary S. - Librarian
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Kortepeter, a retired Army colonel with USAMRIID, takes readers behind the scenes and into the laboratories where scientists study national threats like weaponized smallpox, botulism and Ebola...This book is fascinating and highly readable for even the most scientifically challenged, but be prepared to be scared witless when you realize just how vulnerable we all are."
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Ray-Anne L. - Reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Natural and man-made biological weapons are real. So are the scientists and military staff around the world who handle samples of deadly pathogens every day so that the world can be a safer place. This book provides a unique insight into how the US agencies control these samples of plague, anthrax, smallpox, botulism and hundreds of other diseases and control disease research in a world of bio-terrorism.
Pre-Publication Reviews of Inside the Hot Zone
“A gripping book for all audiences…Dr. Kortepeter explores an intensely human struggle against biological threats…in a millennia-old game of chess, while disclosing the fears, hopes and ingenuity of scientists. A very real chess game of life and death. The novice as well as the most experienced student of biological weapons will emerge from a reading of his book better informed, profoundly grateful for the courage and expertise of these “soldiers in the trenches” and surprisingly entertained.
Eric B. Schoomaker, MD, PhD, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) U.S. Army, 42nd Army Surgeon General & Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command and former Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Research & Materiel Command and Fort Detrick, MD
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“Absolutely riveting. Dr. Kortepeter tells a fascinating story. . . . If you want to know what it is to be part of this exceptional team of heroic Americans working in the ‘hot zone,’ you should read this book.”
Lester Martinez-Lopez, MD, MPH, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) U.S. Army - former commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland
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“Writing in a style reminiscent of The Coming Plague, Kortepeter sheds new light on the horrors of bioweapons, on the inner workings of the federal bureaucracy, and on the insiders’ views of the anthrax attacks. His expertise and experiences make Inside the Hot Zone compelling reading for anyone interested in scientific, medical, or military thrillers. And, scariest of all, the thrills are real.”
Ted Cieslak, MD, Col. (Ret.) U.S. Army - medical co-director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and medical director of the Nebraska Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
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“Col. Kortepeter’s inside story from the front lines of our nation’s defense against the real and increasing threat of biological weapons is fascinating. He gives voice in lucid prose to the unsung heroes working tirelessly at the world’s best biodefense research center at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Their mission is to keep America safe, and our nation owes them an enormous debt of gratitude.”
Andy Weber, former assistant secretary of defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs
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“While Richard Preston’s book The Hot Zone very effectively brought the importance of high containment virus work into the living rooms of America, it was heavily sensationalized and far from what actually occurs in a real BSL-4 laboratory. Dr. Kortepeter paints a much more accurate picture as seen from the inside by the staff who do the dangerous work on a daily basis.”
Thomas Geisbert, PhD, expert in Ebola and other high containment viruses at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston National Laboratory
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