Plague Pestilence and Pandemic

Humanity has always been struck by pestilence and pandemics, from the plagues of ancient Egypt to the pox that ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages, to Covid-19. This intimate and revelatory collection presents first-hand accounts by doctors, artists, historians and everyday people who lived through the worst contagions humanity has faced. The blend of courage, despair, black humour, heartbreak and hope in their words holds up a mirror to our own recent experience, and acts as a powerful reminder of human endurance. 

'Insightful, moving and empathetic' BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE

'Fascinating...Through tracing the social, political and public-health responses evoked by disease-related disasters across  the globe, readers can empathise with individuals separated by centuries and oceans...resonates strongly in todays world' MINERVA