This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers' Favorite
James R Olsen describes Covid Wars as a true story from both sides. He discusses the suspected origins of the virus from Wuhan in China and includes other possibilities. This first book in a series of three follows the procedures of how China dealt with the outbreaks but mostly focuses on the rural community of Ravalli, situated in the Bitter Root Valley in Montana, home of the author. The narrative paints a picture of the people, the area, the annual festivals, fairs, rodeos, the landscape, and the people who live there. Events in other parts of the country are included, such as the denial of the election results and the fierce battle over whether or not wearing masks is effective. Numerous charts and graphs plot the progress of the disease from the beginning and how the population reacted. The transcripts of the public health meetings and the views of the residents are faithfully recounted. Olsen gives the reader a clear and fascinating picture of just one United States community from 2020 as COVID arrives and how it influences the inhabitants and their behavior.
Most of us have lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was fascinated to read in James R Olsen’s Covid Wars his description of how the disease affected his rural town. I liked the behind-the-scenes look at what was planned, but mostly how there were two sides to this war. The numerous illustrations throughout the book are informative and full of statistics and back up the narrative. I had never considered how a Health Board and local officials coped with the conflicting advice from both sides would resemble a low-key war. The author states the case clearly from several points of view and presents a fair narrative. From my point of view, under the total lockdown and mandatory mask-wearing and restrictions to be followed by my country as a whole, it certainly widened my horizons about a situation where each county could decide for itself. This book is crammed with information, an extensive bibliography, and references but is still an easy read that any layman can comprehend. I highly recommend this book as a guide on how the first pandemic was handled for better or worse.