epershand: An astrolabe. (Astrolabe)
epershand ([personal profile] epershand) wrote in [community profile] readingthepast 2009-07-04 04:16 pm (UTC)

I read Doomsday Book, A Journal of the Plague Year, and The Great Influenza (nonfiction about 1918 inflenza pandemic). So I hit two influenzas, two plagues, and no cholera, etc.

A couple of things I noticed across books:
- The idea of a pandemic as an almost supernatural occurance, striking where, when and whom it chooses and completely out of human control.
- Related, the battle of humans and technology against disease.
- All three books layed down moral judgements, JotPY and DB against those fleeing the plague who brought it with them, and GI againt the public health officials who lied about the extent of the pandemic to tone down the panic.

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