What do you think?
Rate this book
Biological War: A Scenario
Not yet published
Expected 28 Jul 26From Annie Jacobsen, the author of the bestselling Nuclear War: A Scenario, a book on a subject that has long orbited her reporting: biological warfare.
A lab accident, a bio-attack, a global pandemic, and the collapse of human society. In this essential new book, based on dozens of new interviews with experts with high-level political, governmental, medical, and military responsibility, Annie Jacobsen examines this very scenario. It would be only a matter of days from such a global infection before the infrastructure built to handle this gravest of situations would be in a battle for human existence.
The mass death, total societal breakdown, widespread insurrection, anarchy, and a plague-ravaged wasteland that no longer resembles modern civilization. In other dystopia.
Following the gripping narrative style that launched Nuclear War to the New York Times bestseller list, Jacobsen looks deeply at a situation that is in some ways the opposite of a nuclear There is no mushroom cloud, no shock wave or blast. Instead, the scenario that could end the world as we know it begins with something so small, and something so malicious, that when used for evil, only evil can result.
This is what could happen; a ticking-clock roadmap to the hours, days, and weeks following the release of a biological agent, that serves as the most essential, forward-looking journalism in preparation for urgent societal upheaval.
A lab accident, a bio-attack, a global pandemic, and the collapse of human society. In this essential new book, based on dozens of new interviews with experts with high-level political, governmental, medical, and military responsibility, Annie Jacobsen examines this very scenario. It would be only a matter of days from such a global infection before the infrastructure built to handle this gravest of situations would be in a battle for human existence.
The mass death, total societal breakdown, widespread insurrection, anarchy, and a plague-ravaged wasteland that no longer resembles modern civilization. In other dystopia.
Following the gripping narrative style that launched Nuclear War to the New York Times bestseller list, Jacobsen looks deeply at a situation that is in some ways the opposite of a nuclear There is no mushroom cloud, no shock wave or blast. Instead, the scenario that could end the world as we know it begins with something so small, and something so malicious, that when used for evil, only evil can result.
This is what could happen; a ticking-clock roadmap to the hours, days, and weeks following the release of a biological agent, that serves as the most essential, forward-looking journalism in preparation for urgent societal upheaval.
432 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 28, 2026
About the author
Annie Jacobsen
15 books3,897 followersANNIE JACOBSEN is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author. Her books include: AREA 51; OPERATION PAPERCLIP; THE PENTAGON’S BRAIN; PHENOMENA; SURPRISE, KILL VANISH; and FIRST PLATOON.
Her newest book, NUCLEAR WAR: A SCENARIO, is an international bestseller.
Jacobsen’s books have been named Best of the Year and Most Anticipated by outlets including The Washington Post, USA Today, The Boston Globe, Vanity Fair, Apple, and Amazon. She has appeared on countless TV programs and media platforms—from PBS Newshour to Joe Rogan—discussing war, weapons, government secrecy, and national security.
She also writes and produces TV, including Tom Clancy’s JACK RYAN.
Jacobsen graduated from Princeton University where she was Captain of the Women’s Ice Hockey Team. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Kevin and their two sons.
Her newest book, NUCLEAR WAR: A SCENARIO, is an international bestseller.
Jacobsen’s books have been named Best of the Year and Most Anticipated by outlets including The Washington Post, USA Today, The Boston Globe, Vanity Fair, Apple, and Amazon. She has appeared on countless TV programs and media platforms—from PBS Newshour to Joe Rogan—discussing war, weapons, government secrecy, and national security.
She also writes and produces TV, including Tom Clancy’s JACK RYAN.
Jacobsen graduated from Princeton University where she was Captain of the Women’s Ice Hockey Team. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Kevin and their two sons.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Want to Read
December 14, 2025i need this NOWWWW PLEASEEEE 😭❤️🩹
Review of advance copy
Well, I wrote this book - and here's what I think: A lab accident, a highly contagious, genetically modified pathogen, a global pandemic, and the collapse of human society. In BIOLOGICAL WAR: A SCENARIO - based on dozens of new interviews with experts with high-level political, governmental, medical, and military responsibility - I examine this very scenario. It would be only a matter of days from such a global infection before the infrastructure built to handle this gravest of situations would be in a battle for human existence. The fallout: mass death, total societal breakdown, widespread insurrection, anarchy, and a plague-ravaged wasteland that no longer resembles modern civilization. In other words: dystopia.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved Nuclear War: A Scenario, and this one might be even better. Not just because it is a more probable scenario, but because one can see the effects of COVID mistakes and paranoias reverberating throughout. Today, people are worried about hantavirus and ebola. Understandably. And we have only just started to understand the extent of the impact a weapon used biological pathogen might pose to humanity.
My only criticism is that twice it is said that COVID was a lab leak. Although this may be true, expert opinions published in the journals Science and Nature assert that is only one of four hypotheses as to the origin of COVID. Given the commitment to accuracy in the book, it surprised me to see this claim made without additional context.
My only criticism is that twice it is said that COVID was a lab leak. Although this may be true, expert opinions published in the journals Science and Nature assert that is only one of four hypotheses as to the origin of COVID. Given the commitment to accuracy in the book, it surprised me to see this claim made without additional context.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a terrifying depiction of a scenario where a highly contagious and genetically modified version of the plague is leaked accidentally from a lab. Much in the same vein of the authors previous book, Nuclear War a Scenario, it covers the spread and breakdown of society at an alarming rate. Highly cautionary and well researched, this shows the terror that can occur with already existing potential. As with everything else this author has written I would highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews