John Doe
English 112P
4 November 2009
Historical Perspective on The Hot Zone The Hot Zone by Richard Preston is a nonfiction book with aspects of a novel. Sometimes called a bio-thriller, it is about the Ebola virus in America. It was written to address a time of fear about viruses in the United States in a time of increased international interaction. Although its impact is negligible, it reflects the nervous attitude of the time.
Richard Preston writes narrative nonfiction. Narrative nonfiction is a hybrid style of writing that utilizes the framework of nonfiction with aspects of a novel, dialogue, for instance. Preston favors this style and wrote his dissertation on it during his graduate studies in Princeton. Previously, Preston wrote non-fiction on science such as Astronomy and on History; later his focus shifts to the science of Microbiology. In 1992 Richard Preston wrote an article in The New Yorker, entitled “Crisis in the Hot Zone.” Two years later, this article became the foundation for his non-fiction book, The Hot Zone, which documents the appearance of Ebola in the United States during the late eighties. At the time The Hot Zone was conceived, free trade policies during President George H. W. Bush’s administration were still making an impact worldwide. Bush set forth global objectives, renewing an interest in globalization under the belief that a global market will alleviate America’s growing deficit. Furthermore, he spearheaded the construction of North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Later, the Internet made its debut under the supervision of the new administrations Vice President, Al Gore. The United States had become the sole superpower of the world and was empowered by economic growth that began in 1983 that continued for the next several decades. These actions, along with the disintegration of the Soviet Union and its Iron Curtain, contributed to a period of global transaction unknown to previous eras.
The mid-eighties through the mid-nineties were a time of new beginnings. Veins of trade and communication were developing throughout the world that allow for the passage of cargo both wanted and unwanted. The AIDS pandemic appears, proving that ill effects of an increased international involvement are inevitable. Imaginations stewed over other potential outcomes generated in this time of flux, developing a fertile market for horror entertainment. Richard Preston’s The Hot Zone, capitalizes on this market addressing biological outbreaks that threaten to occur in this new world order. Interest in a book on viruses from abroad comes from the outbreak of HIV and AIDS in the United States. Although the origin of HIV is unknown, it is believed to be a close relative of another virus native to Africa. Hysteria broke out as an unknown and uncontrollable epidemic relentlessly carved its way across the continent. Suspicions and wild accusations revolving around this new disease spread quickly fueling the public’s panic.
As stated by American Decades, “Few things changed people's lifestyles in the 1980s more radically or pervasively than the calamity of AIDS.” Its outbreak in America during the 80s came at the dusk of the sexual revolution, generating new ideas on intimacy and controlled fornication. With widespread fear gripping the nation and the threat of necessary lifestyle changes, attentions veered to other potential and unknown viruses that could lurk in underdeveloped regions of the world such as Ebola.
Ebola in the United States is a very unusual thing. Ebola is a filovirus native to Africa. It is a virulent virus, meaning it spreads very quickly through its host, so quickly that it is usually incapacitating and then fatal within days. Ebola is not airborne and needs to be within body and its fluids to spread; it is comparable to AIDS in mode of transmission, however Ebola’s life cycle is extremely rapid and its symptoms are very obvious. The fact that Ebola could remain undetected during the transition from one continent to another is evidence that the world was, and possibly still is, changing faster than precautions can develop.
The Hot Zone became a best seller to the American reader in the year following its release; such interest reflects the fear that gripped the country about the horrors that could come from unchecked contact throughout the world. Globalization allowed for the 80’s and 90’s businessperson to explore the international community for networking and cheap labor. Growing concerns for impoverished countries such as Ethiopia and its starving populous became the site of increased support and contact. American society had lost its ties to the Soviet sphere and its tendrils of influence were left to occupy the rest of the world. Suddenly new enemies and fears made their way home in the form of terrorism and natural disaster—including those biological in nature. Ultimately, The Hot Zone passed from public attention. Rumors persist that it inspired the movie Outbreak; however, this cannot be confirmed. Preston pursued the bio-scare theme that made The Hot Zone a best seller, following it up with two other books; the collection is referred to as Dark Biology. One of these stories, The Cobra Event had considerable effect according to Preston’s website:
President Bill Clinton read The Cobra Event (which reportedly it kept him up all night), and was so alarmed that he ordered an intelligence analysis of the book. The book affected White House policy regarding bioterrorism, and helped encourage the president to order intensified spending and preparations for a bioterror event. It has been said that the government would not have been as prepared for the anthrax letter attacks in September and October, 2002, as it was, without the stimulus of The Cobra Event. The Hot Zone probably had little effect on society at large, however it was one piece of fuel that fed the flames of fear regarding biological catastrophe those days and even today.

Works Cited
Hill, Jay. "International Relations." Encyclopedia Brittanica. 12 May 2002. Web. 2 Nov. 2009. <http:/ / www.britannica.com/ >.
Preston, Richard. Home Page. 2004. Web. 2008. <http:/ / www.richardpreston.net/ .>
Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. New York: Random , 1994. Print.
"The 1980s: Lifestyles and Social Trends: Overview." American Decades. Encyclopedia.com. The Gale Group, 2001. Web. 1 Nov. 2009. <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.