On the Eradication of Smallpox and the Intractability of Raccoons

By Jamey Gittings

Ned Alexander is a freshly minted journalism school graduate, under-experienced and over-educated, and he just pulled down “the last job in town” in Tucson, Arizona. As Ned notes, “If people know you’re from Harvard, they’ll hire you so they can tell you what to do, and feel good when you screw up.”

When proponents of the death penalty begin showing up dead themselves, Ned has no time for screw-ups, and he has to draw on all of his background, connections, and problem-solving skills to get to the bottom of matters, all the while navigating the challenges posed by a new boss, an inscrutable co-worker, and a group that advances its aims by working in the shadows and in the sunlight. At every step—from Arizona to Texas to Tennessee to Virginia and D.C.—there are people to meet, mysteries to unravel, and local law enforcement that sees Ned not as a journalist at the nexus of a compelling story but perhaps as the answer to what’s going on and an easy scapegoat. Told in a smart, fast-paced way, On the Eradication of Smallpox and the Intractability of Raccoons is both a raucous ride and an illuminating, timeless examination of our politics, our progress and regress, and our recessions from reason.