For readers of Mary Roach and Adam Diamond, an innovative look at the
histories of different epidemics and what it meant for society,
alongside what lessons different diseases have to teach us as society
battles the novel Coronavirus.
Throughout history, there have been numerous epidemics that have
threatened mankind with destruction. Diseases have the ability to
highlight our shared concerns across the ages, affecting every social
divide from national boundaries, economic categories, racial divisions,
and beyond. Whether looking at smallpox, HIV, Ebola, or COVID-19
outbreaks, we see the same conversations arising as society struggles
with the all-encompassing question: What do we do now?
Quarantine Life from Cholera to COVID-19 demonstrates that these
conversations have always involved the same questions of individual
liberties versus the common good, debates about rushing new and untested
treatments, considerations of whether quarantines are effective to begin
with, what to do about healthy carriers, and how to keep trade
circulating when society shuts down.
This immensely readable social and medical history tracks different
diseases and outlines their trajectory, what they meant for society, and
societal questions each disease brought up, along with practical
takeaways we can apply to current and future pandemics--so we can all be
better prepared for whatever life throws our way.
