If you haven't had a chance, I highly recommend “Germs, Guns, and Steel.” It came out in 1997, but still resonates today. Diamond's 2005 book, “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” (New York: Penguin Group [USA] Inc.) is also worth reading. While the first book shows us how societies succeed, the 2005 book discusses how they can fail. We certainly see both sides in our battles with emerging and ongoing infections.