THE SILENT ENEMY: CANADA AND THE DEADLY FLU OF 1918 Eileen Pettigrew. Saskatoon, Western Producer Prairie Books, c1983. 155pp, cloth, $17.95. ISBN 0-88833-104-5. Grades 9 and up. Reviewed by Catherine R. Cox Volume 12 Number 2 1984 March Although she has contributed numerous articles to Canadian newspapers and magazines, this is Eileen Pettigrew's first book. The subject- of the Spanish influenza epidemic that ravaged Canada in 1918 has not been thoroughly covered in any other monograph, so Pettigrew had new ground to cover in this work. The epidemic was world wide, but The Silent Enemy examines thoroughly only its effects on Canada. Constructed as an anecdotal history, only the stories of endurance, suffering, and heroism weave a unifying cord through the book. These stories, though inspiring, tend to become repetitive. The author did her research using documents in the Public Archives of Canada and in provincial archives, newspaper accounts, and personal recollections of survivors. She collected photographs from the era showing people wearing surgical masks at school and at work to ward off the flu, funeral hearses, and posters on safety precautions, which she has included in the book. Apart from a few errors like the misspelling of Miramichi and Bartibog on page 41, the editorial quality is of a high standard. There is a good index and a bibliography for the benefit of the researcher. The influenza epidemic of 1918 is an enthralling bit of the social history of Canada that has not been given great attention before. This readable monograph is a welcome addition to the accounts of Canada's wartime sacrifice. It is a recommended purchase. Catherine R. Cox, Moncton, H. S., Moncton, NB..