This is a book about plagues. More surprisingly, it’s a humorous book about plagues. Jennifer Wright, author of It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History, manages to balance being informative about a very depressing topic while maintaining a witty, upbeat writing style. The book progresses chronologically from ancient and medieval plagues into the modern day, with each chapter covering one plague (such as the dancing plague, leprosy, the Black Death, polio, etc.).Interestingly, Wright not only covers the effects of each plague, but also critiques how it was handled at the time. In each case, brave people work hard to combat the terrifying diseases. Sometimes, these heroes are doctors and scientists researching and tracking the disease. Other times, they are individuals and communities rallying around the afflicted.
It’s a bittersweet book. Some chapters are hopeful and inspiring, while others serve as chilling examples of how mishandling a situation can turn it into a catastrophe. The book does a surprisingly good job of keeping up its cheery tone, while still showing sympathy and regret for those affected by the plagues. It’s informative and highly readable without being dense, and the author has some insights for modern audiences to heed.
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