The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World

· Sold by Penguin
4.2
33 reviews
Ebook
320
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

A National Bestseller, a New York Times Notable Book, and an Entertainment Weekly Best Book of the Year from the author of Extra Life
 
“By turns a medical thriller, detective story, and paean to city life, Johnson's account of the outbreak and its modern implications is a true page-turner.” —The Washington Post

“Thought-provoking.” —Entertainment Weekly


It's the summer of 1854, and London is just emerging as one of the first modern cities in the world. But lacking the infrastructure-garbage removal, clean water, sewers-necessary to support its rapidly expanding population, the city has become the perfect breeding ground for a terrifying disease no one knows how to cure. As the cholera outbreak takes hold, a physician and a local curate are spurred to action-and ultimately solve the most pressing medical riddle of their time.

In a triumph of multidisciplinary thinking, Johnson illuminates the intertwined histories of the spread of disease, the rise of cities, and the nature of scientific inquiry, offering both a riveting history and a powerful explanation of how it has shaped the world we live in.

Ratings and reviews

4.2
33 reviews
A Google user
July 30, 2012
I was required to read this book as a summer project my freshman year in the Baylor Honors Program. I have to admit, I didn't have high expectations, despite my love of reading. However, it was incredibly interesting. I have a new-found appreciation for medical knowledge.
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Sarah Paul
February 17, 2019
This book was reccomend to me by a friend, I read it in under a week. Weird, unique subject matter put together in a fascinating narrative that also connects it to the modern day.
1 person found this review helpful
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Chad Neilsen
April 11, 2013
Wonderful insight into the social, political and scientific misgivings that gave rise to the London cholera outbreak and how it redefined medicine and public health.
2 people found this review helpful
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About the author

Steven Johnson is the bestselling author of thirteen books, including Where Good Ideas Come From, How We Got to Now, and Extra Life. He’s the host and cocreator of the Emmy-winning PBS/BBC series How We Got to Now, the host of the podcast The TED Interview, and the author of the newsletter Adjacent Possible. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, and Marin County, California, with his wife and three sons.

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