Crisis in the Red Zone by Richard Preston Summary
Overview of Crisis in the Red Zone
Journey into the terrifying 2013-2014 Ebola epidemic with Richard Preston's bestseller that reads "like a thriller" (Elizabeth Kolbert). This urgent wake-up call reveals ethical dilemmas between Western and local treatment priorities while making deadly viruses unnervingly accessible. Could your hospital handle the next outbreak?
Similar books to Crisis in the Red Zone
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Key takeaways
A Toddler's Touch: The Spark That Ignited an Inferno
December 2013. A two-year-old boy named Emile plays near a hollow tree in Meliandou, Guinea, while his mother washes clothes nearby. Inside the tree, small bats-what locals call "flying mice"-hang in the darkness. Children sometimes hunt these bats, smoking them out and roasting them over fires. Emile is too young to hunt, but perhaps he touches one. Perhaps he tastes something. Perhaps bat blood or urine finds its way onto his skin. Whatever the exact moment, it changes everything. By Christmas Eve, Emile develops black diarrhea. Four days later, he's dead. Within weeks, his sister, mother, and grandmother follow. The virus-Zaire ebolavirus, capable of liquefying human organs-has emerged from what scientists call the "virosphere," that vast ocean of constantly evolving pathogens. It had appeared once before in 1976, killed hundreds in central Africa, then vanished back into the forest. Now it's back, 2,000 miles away, in a region where Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia converge. Here, the Kissi people move freely across borders, and recent deforestation has created new contact zones between wilderness and human settlements. A microscopic strand of RNA, just 80 nanometers wide, has found its way from forest to child-and is now spreading with terrifying speed.
The Snake in the Chest: When Tradition Becomes Transmission
The Doctor Who Stayed: Kenema's Desperate Stand
The Invisible Architecture: Inside Ebola's Killing Machine
The Ancient Rule: Wisdom from History's First Battle
The $100,000 Gamble: ZMapp's Race Against Death
The Thin Line: What We've Learned, What's Coming Next
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to Crisis in the Red Zone Summary in 11 Minutes
Break down key ideas from Crisis in the Red Zone into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 10 Insights from Crisis in the Red Zone in a Nutshell
Distill Crisis in the Red Zone into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Fun Mode - Crisis in the Red Zone Lessons Told Through 23-Min Stories
Experience Crisis in the Red Zone through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to Crisis in the Red Zone Summary in 0 Minutes
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
Get the Crisis in the Red Zone summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.