Plagued: Pandemics from the Black Death to COVID-19 and Beyond by John Froude

Plagued: Pandemics from the Black Death to Covid-19 and Beyond by John Froude
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Plagued: Pandemics from the Black Death to COVID-19 and Beyond, Dr. John Froude takes us on a historical and scientific journey through the world of pathogenic diseases. On its face, such a description may cause some eyes to glaze over, but this book isn't simply a list of facts about plagues. Nor is it simply a scientific exploration of how pathogens interact within bodies and throughout populations. We're given a little bit of everything, which makes this a book that readers from a variety of backgrounds can enjoy.

Froude does get into the genetic and biochemical intricacies of each pathogen, and while some may find this information to be easy to follow, other readers may feel a bit bogged down by it. However, this doesn't characterize the book in its entirety. Froude presents himself as scientist, doctor and storyteller all once, painting a narrative that in its totality is quite accessible. He deftly transports the reader to the places and times where viral and bacterial plagues ravaged populations, tracing each pathogen from its source and taking us along its journey from cell to full blown pandemic.

Froude also does a great job of illustrating how plagues themselves shape culture. He includes poetry, art, anecdotes, and excerpts from letters to give the reader an on-the-ground perspective of just how different peoples and nations dealt with plagues throughout time. I also appreciated the thread he weaved throughout the centuries, showing the intimate connection between war, colonialism, and the spread of pandemics around the world. This gave the book a more well-rounded narrative that makes it more enjoyable than your average science-based book.

This book was informative, entertaining, and terrifying all at once. I would recommend it to anyone hoping to expand their knowledge of how pandemics start, spread, and sustain themselves across spaces and throughout time.

Thanks to NetGalley, BenBella Books & John Froude, MD for an ARC of this book.

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