This book is a fantastic read. It really lets you in on what was going on in the Soviet Union in regards to their biological warfare programs. (It also informs you of the relationships between the Soviet Union and other countries such as India, Iraq, Cuba, etc. and the information/equipment that may have been passed on.) Ken Alibek has led an amazing life and this story could not have been told any better. It is told in an easy to understand format, but includes a lot of great information about the viruses and the implementation of them in weapons. He really explains about the structure of the program in an easy to understand way. The index in the back is great. If you are a fan of Richard Preston's books, you will enjoy this one. In fact, Mr. Alibek is referenced in the Demon in the Freezer. The realizations are scary, but everyone should be informed of the possibilities.

This book is well written with intimate detail about the bioweapon program threats that we all face even today.

Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World--Told from Inside by the Man Who Ran It
This book clearly represents the ultimate extent to which the former Russian communist war machinery was ready to go just to achieve its desired aspiration - the world domination regardless to anything dear or sacred to human civilization . No cost , no international decree , signed by every major superpower , no human dignity , was important to communist war planners , who saw the potential of biological weapons as its most precious secret, the most decisive ordnance in the world , more important even than the nuclear ,as the germs simply leave the material proofs of human endeavors intact and thus ready to be exploited by the only alternative to the world proletariat - the dreaded KGB and its various innocuous organizations , operating like a hydra , encompassing both civilian and military sphere , without the vast majority in the loop . The author bravely opens the window into this shady world , where every precaution was taken to ensure the complete secrecy and airtightness over different projects ,e.g. Vector , Biopreparat , ultra secret KGB lab near Moscow , specialized in the production and manufacture of killing devices , of which some have been successfully used , e.g. in the assassination of a Bulgarian dissident Markov in London ). The author admits his being an involuntary accomplice in this biological weapons build-up , but , as he says , he and his colleagues , the top of the Russian science , had accepted their roles as soldiers as a patriotic duty , thus breaking the most basic tenets of medicine , becoming in fact scientific outcasts , nonpersons , living in non existing cities , spawning across the whole of the Russian continent , dedicating their knowledge and talent to destruction on the most unimaginable and horrifying scale . Really , a scary analysis of a total disregard for human lives and environment itself as well( e.g. the destruction of the Aral Sea ) .

I bought and read this book years ago and was astounded with the information that was revealed. It's a dangerous world we live in knowing what various governemnts have created in order to destroy humans etc... This story is coming from the Author who was behind some of the most deadly biological, chemical weapons created in Cold War Soviet Union. he defected from the Soviet Union and then went to work for the U.S. governemnt applying his knowledge of weaponized biological agents and how to combat them etc... It's a true story with lots of information. It's a Great Book.

It many ways this is necessary reading in today's world. Lots of facts, but not a particularly passionate story. It's not a fun page turner. And the author's regret for the demons he created seems too late and too little. The book also ends in 1999 and is due for an update or adddendum. After reading this, one could make the arguement that if there was only a 10% chance that the Soviet bioweapons technology made it to Iraq, then the Iraq invasion was justified. The book is not an exciting or particularly good read; but it may be a necessary read.

The author for once and for all exterminates the propaganda that the USSR was not involved in the large scale production of biological weapons. He also reminds us that our college campuses are filled with what Stalin termed , " Useful Idiots", those who want to think the US is the eternal villan.

The scale of the USSR bioweapons program was almost beyond what we could imagine both in the quantities produced and the variety of agents exploited. The author leaves little doubt as to the consequences of the use of these materials.

Written before 9-11 the book helps to understand the threat bio-weapons pose when in the hands of unstable nations or terrorist groups. The ease of production and of deployment ( expecially if the humans are willing to die for the cause) is the foundation for restless nights.

The book is also enlightening in how a huge program was shielded from US penetration through conventional Soviet security measures and our scientists unwillingness to consider the possiblity that the Soviets were developing and deploying such weapons.

As terrorist organizations race to be the first to use chemical, bio or nuclear weapons against the US homeland the lessons of the book take on more importance.

Highly recommended .

This is one of my top 3 favorite books. It is so addicting you cannot put it down! Most of the statments in this book have do evidence to back them up contrary to what another reveiwer said. I learned a lot from this excellent book!

This book covers the production and development of bioweapons in the Soviet Union. Reading the book is an unique chance to have a peek in the paranoid bureocratic society, in which production of mass murder technologies becomes a norm. In a way, the book is another example how ideological (in this case state sponsored) propaganda can subvert humans to do incredible, inhuman actions.

The book is equally important as a warning for humanity of the self destructive potential of scientific knowledge when harnessed into usage as weapons of mass destruction.

The book is written in readable, professional (from microbiologists viewpoint)and what appears a sincere way. It even seems that the book could be a part of a personal salvation process in which the author wants to deal with his past. I recommend the book for those intrested in soviet history/society, and especially for microbiologists and politicians who should get a deeper understanding of the issues covered in the book.

Muy interesante conocer la manera en que se producian las armas biologicas de la ex union sovietica. Saber como se producian anualmente toneladas de microorganismos letales o incapacitantes como prevision a una guerra con el occidente es realmente de ponerle a uno los pelos de punta. Tambien hay que tomar nota del burocratismo y la politica envuelta en la produccion y obviamente en la toma de decisiones. En lo personal estoy convencido de que es una irresponsabilidad del tamaño del mundo producir un arma biologica sin tener a la mano o en desarrollo algun antídoto para la misma o al menos un tratamiento para la enfermedad y creo que tomando en cuenta todo el arsenal y el conocimiento de estas armas que ha quedado disperso en manos de quien sabe quien, solo aumenta el numero de nuestras pesadillas.

La lectura es amena y entretenida.

Muy interesante conocer la manera en que se producian las armas biologicas de la ex union sovietica. Saber como se producian anualmente toneladas de microorganismos letales o incapacitantes como prevision a una guerra con el occidente es realmente de ponerle a uno los pelos de punta. Tambien hay que tomar nota del burocratismo y la politica envuelta en la produccion y obviamente en la toma de decisiones. En lo personal estoy convencido de que es una irresponsabilidad del tamaýo del mundo producir un arma biologica sin tener a la mano o en desarrollo algun antýdoto para la misma o al menos un tratamiento para la enfermedad y creo que tomando en cuenta todo el arsenal y el conocimiento de estas armas que ha quedado disperso en manos de quien sabe quien, solo aumenta el numero de nuestras pesadillas.

La lectura es amena y entretenida.

Cutting through the bookstore on my rush to the movies, I wasn't looking for a book about either biological warfare or biodefense issues when Biohazard jumped off the shelf and into my hands.

After I purchased the book, I sat in the movie theater mesmerized by the story unfolding on the pages and annoyed when the start of the motion picture interfered with my reading enjoyment. I found Biohazard to be a compelling read, full of shocking details about the former Soviet Union's vast biological warfare empire.

Artfully written, the book uses a relaxing narrative style to inform the reader about reviously unrecognized threats to our national security and potential threats to our future. Ken Alibek's extraordinary gift for storytelling also enables him to provide the reader with a peek behind the "iron curtain," a look that enables the reader to better understand the lives of the former Soviet citizens and their relationships with the political and military powers within their own government.

I recommend Biohazard with enthusiasm, not only as an intriguing and informative book that is difficult to put down, but also as one of those rare books happily read numerous times.

Cutting through the bookstore on my rush to the movies, I wasn't looking for a book about either biological warfare or biodefense issues when Biohazard jumped off the shelf and into my hands.

After I purchased the book, I sat in the movie theater mesmerized by the story unfolding on the pages and annoyed when the start of the motion picture interfered with my reading enjoyment. I found Biohazard to be a compelling read, full of shocking details about the former Soviet Union's vast biological warfare empire.

Artfully written, the book uses a relaxing narrative style to inform the reader about reviously unrecognized threats to our national security and potential threats to our future. Ken Alibek's extraordinary gift for storytelling also enables him to provide the reader with a peek behind the "iron curtain," a look that enables the reader to better understand the lives of the former Soviet citizens and their relationships with the political and military powers within their own government.

I recommend Biohazard with enthusiasm, not only as an intriguing and informative book that is difficult to put down, but also as one of those rare books happily read numerous times.

It's hard for me to write a review, because I only read half the book. It was so poorly written that once I put it down, I never could pick it up again. If your kids are bad, make them read this book as torture. It's the only use I could find for the book.

I think every one in the United States should read this book. Reading this book makes Biological warefare seem suddenly not so far fetched. Another person reviewing this book claimed that he thought that the contents of this book could be a hoax. I have read most of every book on Bio-warefare out there, and every thing in this book is very credible according to the information contained in the other books on this topic. This is one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. I would definitly recommend this book to any body who is interisted in reading it.

When reading this book, remind yourself that things have moved on in 20 years.

Current day threat is far, far worse. Won't go into details, but the Cobra Event by Preston says why pretty well.

While the prose and presentation of the book's style is a bit clunky, the information contained within is crucial to understanding what may face us in the future.

An important expose of 'normal military operations' and the infrastructure of the bioweapons program within the former Soviet Union - operations that now have been or may be compromised.

This information is dated, but the technology, people who worked with the technology and the weapons themselves as described in this book may still be viable. 15 year old technology to make hundreds of kilos of anthrax a day is still very dangerous technology.

I might be wrong but I think this book is an hoax. I do not doubt that the Soviets had a biowarfare program and that they were good at it. I also believe that the program has killed innocent people. I just don't believe Ken Alibek's story. The book is written for maximum shock, not for maximum information. It starts with the "in your face" dust jacket. The book is peppered with the "toxins du jour". Ebola, Botulism, Black Death (sounds more horrific than bubonic plague), Anthrax: if you can name it, it is in there. No time is wasted on little known toxins, uninformed people would not recognize them. The book feeds on fear and conspiracy: leaks, cover-up, secret weapons, misterious deaths. Look at the pictures carefully: people in uniforms, non-descript buildings, some old piece of machinery. There isn't a single detail linking them to a biological program. Russia was never short of people in impressive uniforms, it doesn't mean they were cooking mutant chimeric ebola viruses spewing Black Death. For all you know they were part of an army marching band. Same comment about the buildings: take any newsreel from Communist Russia and you'll see big, ugly, formal looking buildings. For all you know, that's where they were storing the medals for the marching bands. The only picture which shows "biowarfare paraphrenalia" (people in scary looking biosafety suits) comes from an exercise in New York. Anyone with a camera who happened to be there could have taken it. Of course, none of the horror stories can be proven or disproven, allowing the authors to say anything they want. How convenient.

I read this book for a research a paper for a graduate class - the paper now appears on Global Security . com under WMD, Library, 2002 listed as the Soviet Unions Bio-warfare Program. Read the paper first and then decide if you you need the book, Any one in the biological/military area of interest should have this book in their library. If terrorist's are to strike - I believe this is the means of how they will do it.

Very well-written in plain language thanks to Steve Handelman, this is a quick read. It is educational without being pedantic, and covers a well-balanced gamut of subjects, including:

- the history of Soviet bio-weaponeering: the vast resources they (including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mikhail Gorbachev) put into developing biological weapons in direct violation of the 1972 treaty and hiding it from the rest of the world, as well as from their own people;

- the evolution of pathogen manufacturing processes;

- the morality and justification (or lack thereof) of such weapons;

- interesting details about various pathogens and the diseases they cause;

- the dismal outlook for biodefense (sorry), with informative discussion of the shortcomings of vaccines, as well as the most promising possibilities;

- Alibek's personal involvement and ascension through the Soviet military and scientific community, and the internal power struggles that hampered the Soviet regime; and

- the truth --finally-- about the 1979 anthrax outbreak at Sverdlovsk, its exact cause, the elaborate KGB attempts at a cover up, and simple, common sense refutations of the "contaminated meat" story proffered by the Soviet oligarchy. The book tells how a well-meaning Boris Yeltsin (who was then the Communist party boss of Sverdlovsk) inadvertently worsened the epidemic by ordering an inexpert clean-up.

Straightforward explanations are given of viruses, the human immune system, cellular biology, and related topics. In the style of that most excellent author Jon Krakauer, this book occasionally makes a fascinating historical flashback; for instance, there are quick side bars on Edward Jenner and the history of immunology.

There are also some somber, one-sentence paragraphs that have the enormous weight of a British understatement. These gave me pause.

Names of people and places are given freely, and the book includes a good index. I learned a lot and feel thankful for every healthy day. The amazing thing is how little harm has been done considering what's possible! :-)

This book reminds us of how crazy a nation could be in developing all sort of biological and chemical weapons to protect the country. Definitely, a must read for anyone! It keeps you alert that the world we live in is not that beautifull. The book described the biohazard program back in the cold war era, but who knows what it is now? I wonder whether the SARS outbreak was an accident from a covert Chinese bio-chemical research lab, much like the accident in Russia that was described in the book.