Synopsis
Called plague or the Black Death, the deadly illness caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria is one of the deadliest and most feared diseases in human history. Notorious for wiping out more than a third of Europe's population during the Middle Ages, plague had been tormenting human civilization for centuries, dating back to occurrences in the Byzantine Empire.
Carried by fleas living on rats, plague was spread throughout the world by trading and war. No place was untouched. In the time before even the most educated people knew about germs and bacteria, doctors were almost completely helpless to treat the afflicted. Still, even with modern medicine, plague has not been eradicated. Occurrences are still reported, and plague was used in terrifying chemical weapons tests during World War II.
This book examines the disease's effects as it moves through history shedding a light on civilization's fragility and humanity's reaction-sometimes brave, sometimes cowardly-in the face of tragedy and fear.
VOYA
This challenging and thought-provoking four-volume series provides a historical and rudimentary scientific foundation for the study of the diseases that plague humankind. In addition, the impact of the current pandemic or the attempts at eradication are explored. Each book explores the onset of the virus, its origins, the method of transmission, and the influence upon various social strata. The sheer numbers of people decimated by many of these diseases are often staggering and its effect upon the following generations is also examined. In Plague, the unsanitary conditions and problems associated with poverty are probed as the major factors in various historical outbreaks. Unfortunately the rapid transmission via rodents and fleas was not determined until numerous outbreaks had decimated much of the population. Chapters based upon plagues include one on Justinian's Plague, the Black Death, The Dreadful Pestilence, the Great Plague of London, and the current H1N1 swine flu pandemic. This detailed overview of diseases will appeal to more advanced students. The research is thorough and the writing is insightful, thought provoking, and accessible. The exploration of the impact of each disease is interesting. Other books in the series include one on flu and another on malaria. This series will likely primarily be used for junior high and high school assignments, with its comprehensive yet concise slim-volume format. Reviewer: Ava Ehde