In my email yesterday, I wrote about my home town’s curious plan to stop the coming mosquito hordes by importing a hundred thousand sterile mosquito males. To which I got a mosquito-themed reply from an Insights & More member named Jordan (not sure he wants me to share his last name):
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The talk about mosquitoes and books reminds me of the… mosquito book.
The Mosquito – Timothy Winegard
It’s actually very very interesting and showcases:
How the mosquito Built Rome
How the mosquito bested one of the greatest conquerors
How the mosquito ended slavery
(hows that for bullet point build out)
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I found this intriguing so I looked it up and yes — it turns out there’s a credible case to be made for the mosquito having built Rome.
In its early days, Rome was surrounded by hundreds of square miles of wetland, called the Pontine Marshes. Perfect for mosquitos. Perfect for malaria. Perfect for dying. Says Winegard:
“Armies coming to attack Rome — beginning with Hannibal and the Carthaginians, and then the Visigoths, Attila and his Huns, and the Vandals — couldn’t essentially either take or hold Rome because of this malarial shield.”
Based on a quick search, it seems Winegard’s Mosquito book gives you:
1. Lots of surprising or even contrary ideas like the one above
2. A credible, well-researched reinterpretation of history
3. A new context for familiar things
… all of which means it might make a perfect choice for the Insights & More Book Club in the future.
Speaking of, the same Jordan who wrote me about the Mosquito book earlier wrote me about the last Insights & More book, the one we just finished. He said:
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The book was mind blowing (even thought I havent finished it yet)
Can’t wait for my first call experience and the next book
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It’s unfortunately too late to join for the next round of the Insights & More Book Club, because the doors have closed. But if you’d like to have the chance to join in the future, get on my email list. It’s the only place where I actually advertise and open up my book club.