Rationalizing Epidemics is a superb work of scholarship. By contextualizing his deep and thorough research in original documents within the larger literature on the history and nature of epidemics, Jones has produced a profound account of how epidemics are social and cultural phenomena, not just biological. This book will be of great interest to scholars of American Indian history and the history of medicine, and with its engaging and accessible writing style, it promises to be a book that students and the general public will appreciate as well.
-- Nancy Shoemaker, University of Connecticut
An imaginative and insightful approach to health and disease among American Indians, Rationalizing Epidemics represents a remarkable accomplishment. The breadth of reading and depth of research, the subtlety used in explaining each case, and the original approach to the material are altogether impressive. Jones's book undoubtedly will be a major contribution to American history.
-- Daniel H. Usner, Jr., Vanderbilt University
The book is thoroughly researched with an impressive list of references. The style is straightforward and clear. The author's efforts are worthy and the book is enthusiastically recommended...Readers will find this book enjoyable and informative.
-- Everett R. Rhoades Journal of the American Medical Association
This is an important contribution that deserves careful reading...Finely written, this well-constructed argument will reward both advanced students and the general public interested in the theme.
-- Noble David Cook American Historical Review
The 50-plus pages of endnotes in Jones’s Rationalizing Epidemics amply illustrate the exhaustive data collection and primary-source review involved in the construction of this sweeping and persuasive work. His thought-provoking use of a wealth of archival evidence to support an explanatory model with regard to the meanings of catastrophic epidemics among Native Americans sets a new standard for historical research and interpretation.
-- Joan Weibel-Orlando Current Anthropology