Julia Alvarez Story aired: Friday, May 12, 2006
When does the greater good trump the welfare of others?
It's an issue which is explored both in the 1800's and today in Julia Alvarez' new novel "Saving the world," which tells two stories. The first is of Slma, an author of Dominican descent living in contemporary Vermont with her idealistic husband, whose humanitarian organization is trying to eradicate aids in the developing world. Alma becomes fascinated by the story of Isabel, a Spanish woman in the early 1800's who ventures on an expedition to bring the smallpox vaccine to Spain's colonies. The vehicles for transporting the newly discovered vaccine is children, orphan boys under Isabel's care who are systematically infected with the mild cowpox virus and carry it with them until the vesibles, or blisters on their skin can be harvested.
