'The fascinating story of ancient words ? new revelations await' The Guardian 'A truly extraordinary detective story' Matt Ridley, author of The Evolution of Everything ________________________________

Read the devastating story of the Spanish flu - the twentieth century's greatest killer – and discover what it can teach us about the current Covid-19 pandemic. 'Both a saga of tragedies and a detective story...

'Lively and fascinating. I loved it' David Bellos, author of Is That a Fish in your Ear?'A history of the world in microcosm ... I highly recommend' Douglas Preston, author of The Lost City of the Monkey God'A real detective story ... a tour de force' David Crystal, author of A Date with Language