Vaccines and Bayonets

<p>Step into the heart of a turbulent era with <em>Vaccines & Bayonets</em> a gripping historical memoir that chronicles one woman's extraordinary journey <span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1)>with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and CDC in</span> Africa. In this vivid recounting-which one Pulitzer nominee says reads like a political thriller women's history and African adventure rolled into one.-Bee Bloeser unveils the raw reality of her family's part in the mission to eradicate smallpox revealing triumphs and trials faced along the way.</p><p></p><p>As a young wife Bloeser followed her husband Carl to Africa driven by ideals and a sense of duty. In Nigeria she witnessed the roots and ravages of civil war and the horrors of smallpox and leprosy yet found beauty in the vibrant local culture.</p><p></p><p>In Equatorial Guinea a nation newly independent but plagued by the terror of a brutal dictatorship secrecy shrouded the people and Bloeser confronted a world far removed from her idealistic expectations. Forbidden from interacting with locals and surrounded by oppression and suspicion she documented her experiences in hidden notes capturing the essence of a desperate struggle.</p><p></p><p>Through her eyes readers experience the intense battle against a relentless virus and against tyranny. This memoir is not just a story of medical triumph and America's global aid and soft power but also a poignant reflection on humanity's capacity for courage-the indomitable spirit of those who risk everything for a better future.</p>