La cocinera irlandesa

by Mary Beth Keane

Mary la Tifoidea: ¿un monstruo egoísta o una inocente perseguida?

 

La llamaban Mary la Tifoidea. Creían que estaba enferma, que transmitía el tifus de sus manos a la comida de aquellos a los que servía. Decían que debía saberlo. Pero Mary no estaba enferma. Ella no había hecho nada malo.

No fue arrestada rápidamente. Hubo avisos, requerimientos y cuando por fin fue capturada, no se dejó llevar tranquilamente. Califi cada de asesina y condenada tanto por la prensa como por la opinión pública, Mary siguió luchando por su libertad, sin importarle el coste…

La cocinera irlandesa arroja luz sobre la mujer que fue descrita como la "Mujer más peligrosa de América". El relato de Mary Beth Keane es tan poderoso como lo fue la misma Mary la Tifoidea.

 

"Una novela histórica adictiva… Mary Beth Keane da su propia voz a Mary la tifoidea, creando un retrato rico y provocativo de la persona real que habría detrás de la paria".

The San Francisco Chronicle

"En la nueva, absorbente y profundamente emotiva novela de Mary Beth Keane, Mallon emerge como una mujer de inteligencia fi era y convicciones férreas… Transforma una vida pasada en una fascinante ficción, Keane nos entrega una novela llena de vida y una heroina cuyos remordimientos nos sonaran perfectamente familiares".

The Boston Globe

"En las seguras manos de Keane Mary Mallon se convierte en un personaje comprensible, complejo e inspirador. La cocinera irlandesa no es solo una atractiva novela para cualquiera atraído por los misterios médicos, también hará emocionarse a cualquiera que haya sentido alguna vez los efectos del cotilleo y la hipocresía".

O, the Oprah Magazine

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Historical, Audiobook, New York, Adult

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 2013

About the author

Mary Beth Keane attended Barnard College and the University of Virginia, where she received an MFA. She was awarded a John S. Guggenheim fellowship for fiction writing, and has received citations from the National Book Foundation, PEN America, and the Hemingway Society. She is the author of five novels, including ASK AGAIN, YES, which was a New York Times Best Seller and was translated into twenty-two languages. Her new novel, WHALE HARBOR, is forthcoming September 29, 2026.

Reviews

[Will Byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before you start reading let’s see those hands. Both sides please. You call that clean? Are you kidding me? I’ve seen cleaner hands in mud wrestling. Try using soap this time, and I don’t want to see anything but skin under those fingernails. Go ahead. I’ll wait. (A very large foot tap, tap, taps. Eyes rise to scan the ceiling. A puff of exasperation is emitted…waiting) Let’s see. Both sides. All right. I guess that will have to do. Sit down. Go ahead.

In the East River, between Queens and the Bronx, and within sight of the largest penal colony in the world, Riker’s Island, lie two tiny islands, South Brother and North Brother. These siblings are currently owned by the New York City Parks Department, and are preserved as a wildlife sanctuary. North Brother now sports a handful of decaying buildings. One must receive special permission to visit, as there is very real concern about the possibility of visitors plunging through rotted out structures. It was famous in its time as a bar-less cage for one particular bird, Mary Mallon, more widely known as Typhoid Mary. Fever is Mary Beth Keane’s novelization of the life of Ms. Mallon, or at least the part of it that gained some notoriety in early 20th century New York City.


Mary Beth Keane - image from University of Virginia - Photo by Nina Subin

Although Mary did not suffer from typhoid fever herself, at some unknown point early in her life her body began producing the Salmonella typhi bacterium responsible for the disease, and she would have that dark passenger for the rest of her life. It is likely, a virtual certainty in fact, that she was exposed to the disease at some point, even though she reported never having had it. She was the first person identified as an asymptomatic carrier (something that may have had just a wee bit of resonance in the time of Covid a few years back, and bird flu here at the end of 2024). In the hubbub surrounding Mary’s detention, legal challenges and impact on the health of those around her, local newspapers slapped the name Typhoid Mary on her and it stuck. These days it is applied to any who spread a disease without themselves suffering from it.

Keane opens with Mary being carted away by the Department of Health, itself created in response to the waves of epidemics that followed the Civil War. We look forward and behind from here. Mary was an Irish immigrant, arriving in the US at age 14. It would appear that she brought with her more than just an eagerness to work and some skill as a cook. Her first job was as a laundress, but she found herself handling cooking duties when the usual cook became ill. Over the years, Mary acquired a reputation as a pretty good cook, but it also happened that dozens of people for whom Mary prepared food became ill and some died. She worked in many households, and while not everyone with whom she came into contact became infected, enough did for her to come to the attention of the fittingly named Doctor George Soper, a sanitary engineer.

When a family for whom Mary had been working in Oyster Bay, Long Island, became ill en masse the owner of the property, concerned about the impact of a health scare on his potential rental income, brought in Soper as a consultant to get to the bottom of the infection. He was not a medical doctor but more of a public health specialist.

While typhoid fever had been around forever, epidemiology was a relatively new science. In fact Soper had graduated from Columbia’s School of Mines and was trained as an engineer to look for sources of environmental contamination, usually some sort of pollution. The novel presents him as a nemesis for Mary, an avenging angel she is constantly seeking to evade.

Keane’s focus is on Mary, though, and we follow her travails, working as a cook, for families in and outside the city, frequently leaving after the households succumb to disease, struggling with guilt over her impact on people, struggling also to retain her freedom. We see her first quarantine, her subsequent release and, later, her return to incarceration. Here she is in 1910.



Keane fleshes out Mary’s life with a look at her boyfriend, a German immigrant and alcoholic, named Alfred, a few friends, and the people with whom she worked and resided. This offers Keane a window through which we can see New York City at the turn of the 20th century. This local and historical view is one of the best things about the book. Keane rings a bell here and there for significant events of the day. One is the Titanic disaster, with Mary feeling badly not only for the souls lost and those damaged at sea, but the poor bastards working the docks who would have to handle the incoming remains. This concern with the working class experience permeates the book. We see a very tough time, with people living in extremely crowded, and often unsanitary conditions, having to put up with the restrictions on financial advancement that are a product of the absence of unions, having to cope, with no societal help, with disasters like the death of a breadwinner. One jaw-dropping scene showed how the Department of Health produced vaccines. The most chilling, for this native New Yorker, was a portrayal of the Triangle Fire that offered a vision that would be repeated on a grander scale almost a hundred years later. Very moving stuff.

In addition to economic issues of the working class, Keane raises the very real issue of civil rights. When is it ok for the state to deprive someone of their freedom if that person has committed no crime? Mary’s first quarantine was a clear case of preventive detention. Was the Department of Health in the right in imprisoning Mary? What about other asymptomatic carriers? A male breadwinner in upstate New York was released after only two weeks. Why was Mary singled out for such harsh treatment when others with the same issue were allowed their freedom?

How much of her incarceration had to do with Mary being female, a poor immigrant and a member of a despised ethnic group? How much did it have to do with her uppityness unwillingness to automatically kowtow to public officials? Consider what might happen today to, say, a Mexican immigrant cook in Arizona, were to present the same issue. On the other hand, if Mary had responded more calmly when confronted by the authorities and held to her promise to find employment in something other than food preparation, might she have been able to retain her freedom? Did she know the effect she was having on those around her? Did she care? Keane offers some views on that.

There was one element of this book that I thought presented a golden opportunity that was missed. The story of Dr Soper, love him or hate him, had the potential for presenting a much deeper look at the times. Epidemiology was new and Soper was at the forefront. Coping with illness via construction had come into its own in the 19th century and had yielded impressive results. The creation or improvement of sewer and water systems had reduced mortality considerably. The Board of Health in NYC had only been in existence since 1866, an attempt to address increasing urban mortality. Soper functioned as a private investigator and increasing his presence here might have afforded a richer look at urban environmental changes and health care realities and policy issues of the era.

That said, Keane has written an illuminating portrait of a time and place, has raised issues concerning civil liberties, labor rights, class and ethnic bias, and has given every parent a bit more ammunition for use on soap-challenged children. Fever may not be the hottest book of the year, but if you enjoy historical fiction and are at all interested in the history of medicine, public health or New York City, it is pretty infectious.

============================EXTRA STUFF

Here are links to Keane's Personal, FB and Instagram links

In A Visit to Typhoid Mary’s Domain, a New York Times reporter ventures across the water to see what the island is like today

In case you are interested in an unusual vacation destination, here is the NYC Parks map of North Brother Island

For a look at Mary in her later years

================================UPDATES

3/21/13 - I just learned that Fever made the Indie Next list for March

8/8/13 - GR friend Jaye sent along a wonderful link to a site called The Kingston Lounge. This particular part of it contains a lot of photos of North Brother in it's more or less current state, that being abandoned and protected as a bird sanctuary. The photos are way cool, and creepy, the fodder of ghost, zombie, or post apocalypse cinema.

And, if you don't mind a purely gratuitous music link, for something feverish, you might enjoy this this.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking the fine line between fiction and real events, Mary Beth Keane provides readers with the vivid life story of Mary Mallon and how she earned the name Typhoid Mary. An Irish-born cook, Mary Mallon arrived in America around 1883 and served in a number of households among New York’s wealthier families towards the end of the 19th and into the 20th centuries. While in the employ of these households, a number of family members developed typhoid, a crippling disease that left many quite sick and killed a few, including a young child. Mallon did her best to nurse those in need of it, while continuing her daily duties. When households were devastated by the illness and could no longer justify the expense of a cook, the agency Mary used would find her other employment. Interestingly enough, Mary never showed any symptoms and the spread of typhoid was not uncommon at the time, raising no concerns. It was not until Dr. George Soper connected many of the outbreaks with Mary’s employment that a pattern emerged. While not showing any signs of illness, Mary Mallon was deemed a carrier and almost certain cause of the illnesses and deaths among many of New York’s elite. Mary was arrested and quarantined while officials sought to determine a longer solution, at which time she tried to plead her innocence, citing her ongoing health. Early news headlines called her ‘The Fever Woman’ and eventually led to monikers such as ‘Typhoid Mary’, as though she were some sort of diseased hurricane about to make landfall on unsuspecting families. Mary was called an asymptomatic carrier—one who shows no signs but is able to spread the disease—and her presence as a cook was deemed too risky. While quarantined and ‘incarcerated’, Mary’s relationship with her partner, Alfred, began to suffer, leading to an eventual deterioration of their romantic connection. Mary also took steps to challenge her quarantine and brought legal action against those holding her. Her strongest argument was that others who had spread the disease—knowingly and with past infections—were kept free, while she was forcibly isolated from the public. This earned her much media attention over her twenty-seven months being locked away. She became a test subject because of her asymptomatic presentation and was, albeit reluctantly, eventually permitted back out into the public, but could no longer earn her living as a cook. Relying on a past as a laundress, Mary Mallon turned to a job where she would be out of the public eye and likely safer. An attempted reunification with Alfred and his serious addiction issues put new strain on hr life. However, she received an amazing job offer as a hospital cook, which saw Mary knowingly defy the order by the Department of Health. When new cases emerged at the maternity hospital where Mary was employed, Dr. Soper returned with a vengeance and the hammer came down with renewed vigour. What awaited Mary was even worse than she could have ever imagined and led to a sobering realization before a new forced isolation. A powerful book that pulls on much of the history of Mary Mallon with just enough fiction to leave the reader wondering where the lines are blurred. Recommend to those who love learning about the spread of disease and illness in historical times, as well as the reader who finds the mix of fiction and its counterpart to be the perfect recipe for a great book.

I had vaguely heard of Typhoid Mary in the past and had this book recommended to me by a close fiend. However, it was not until I read a book recently about the anti-vaccination movement that discussion about Mary Mallon came to a head. While immersed in discussions about whether or not to vaccinate, the author discussed Mallon and her seemingly naive ability to spread typhoid so readily that led to a major outbreak and her forced quarantine. Mary Beth Keane works with the premise of the inadvertent carrier not only to put forth the arguments about how asymptomatic people should be treated, but also what health concerns should be raised and precautions taken. This was at a time when vaccination was not an option, though Keane makes it clear in the narrative that doctors were experimenting with horse serum. As the number of sick and dead rose, Mary Mallon became a pariah, not entirely of her own making, though she did knowingly violate the restrictions put upon her after her initial quarantine. There are great legal and ethical points made throughout this piece, as well as social discussions about how Mary ought to have been treated. Her quarantine and incarceration turned her life on its head while she stood firm that she could not be the cause. Asymptomatic carriers were all but unknown and a woman of Mary’s educational background could not be expected to understand the nuances of medical terminology and advancements at the time. Keane blurs the lines between fiction and reality in this piece, though I would venture to say that the former comes from the dialogue created more than the facts of the case presented. With an easy narrative flow and wonderful development of the Mary Mallon character throughout, Keane exemplifies some of the issues the woman faced without needing to bog the reader down with too many facts or citations. Keane also uses some great flashback moments during discussion of her legal hearing, helping to fill in some of the gaps of the chronological flow in the book. It is not hard to understand why Mary Beth Keane has received accolades for her writing, as this was a highly informative book that read with ease, even if the subject matter was less than pleasant at times. With well-paced chapters and a wonderful flow the story, Keane provides the reader with a book that entertains as much as educates. I can only hope to find more books that handle the politics and social implications of disease and curtailing its spread, as this was a great read and worth anyone’s time who has an interest in the subject matter.

Kudos, Madam Keane, for such an informative read. I will be looking for more of your work in the not too distant future.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Taury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fever by Mary Beth Keane. The book would have been much better if the author would have written in a dialect that was less modern. The Irish accent consistent. Otherwise the book was ok. Not good or bad. It does touch base on Typhoid of the early 1900s. As she was known as Typhoid Mary. Accused of being a carrier and spreading the disease to 23 people through her cooking. She was placed on trial and placed in a hospital on an island away from others. Treated like a common criminal over a disease she may or not of carried. She lost her employment, her home and her man. Once released she showed her tenacity and started over. The book brings out the issue of addiction. Alcoholism, drug addiction, please get help. Please save your life, your loved ones life.

[Dovilė Filmanavičiūtė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kadangi šiemet visi atostogausime NIEKUR, pats metas pradėti sudarinėti atostogų knygų sąrašą!
Šioji tokia verta to sąrašo, kad likus keliasdešimčiai puslapių iki jos pabaigos, bandžiau prisigalvoti kaip išvogti laiko ir ją pabaigti tuojaus pat, o ne laukiant sekančio savo skaitymo vakaro.
Siaubingai įsiurbianti, ufffff.
Ir siaubingai aktuali.
Nes Merės Melon istorija kartojasi - visi baigiam iš proto išeiti pavojingo viruso akivaizdoj, visai kaip Merė, pati neturinti anei jokių simptomų, bet per savo gaminamą maistą užkrečianti vidurių šiltine niujorkiečius ir dėl to izoliuojama negyvenamoje saloje.
Apie tokią Merę Melon aš nebuvau nič nieko girdėjusi. Pasirodo, tokia moteris, pravardžiuojama Mikrobų Moterimi, iš tikrųjų egzistavo. Tai dar ir gūglinimo seansą man reikia susiplanuoti. Ir žinioms apie to meto požiūrį į užkrečiamas ligas, karantiną, ir kapstymui kada gi BBC paleis mini serialą, kuriame Merės vaidmenį atliks aktorė Elisabeth Moss.
Perskaičius knygą atrodo, kad niekas pasaulyje geriau Merės nesuvaidintų...
Tai gero skaitymo!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone's heard of Typhoid Mary. Her name has come down to us through the years and has become a catch phrase for anyone spreading disease. She is treated very sympathetically and realistically in this fictionalized version of the woman, Mary Mallon. The author relies on her real life story and researched the typical life of a poor Irish woman in turn of the century America.
She was locked up not once, but twice and for the rest of her life for being an asymptomatic carrier of Typhoid. Denied civil liberties, Mary, could not understand why she was being persecuted, as the science made no sense to her. She always insisted that she had never had the disease which is spread from contact with body waste. Washing hands was not understood, even by some doctors of the time as a way to prevent the spread of infection, so it's not unusual that a lay person wouldn't understand this in the early 1900s.
Her life was tragic in many ways, not only was she on her own in New York (she came over by herself from Ireland at 15), she also lived with an alcoholic boyfriend for most of her life and jumped from job to job, never getting ahead or being able to have a real home.
The author believes part of the rage and animus directed towards her was not only the disease she carried, but the hatred of certain types of immigrants, like the Irish, and her poverty and she had a temper and was uppity and didn't "know her place."

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The start is superb! Candace Thaxton does the narration of the audiobook. Her tone perfectly expresses how Typhoid Mary views what is happening to her, both the amazement and incredulity of that which she is accused of and horror as loved ones die. Could she be the cause of others' deaths when she is so healthy herself?!

And now, on completion, I have to say that I enjoyed every minute spent listening. I loved Mary's Irish brogue and the details of life in NYC at the turn of the century - even the Titanic and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire on March 25, 1911 are thrown in.

This is a book of historical fiction. If all books of historical fiction were this good I would lap them up, but unfortunately that fails to be the case. To me people are intriguing. What makes one person behave as they do and another completely differently? Math is so simple, follow the rules and you get the right answer, but people, they are a conundrum. I want historical fiction to go inside the minds of the main characters so I understand what makes each one of them tick. I want to see the world through their eyes, knowing full well that some guesses are being made. I want to understand their thoughts and emotions. I want the author to convince me of what their thorough study of the known facts has led them to believe. This is what I want from historical fiction. Do you want the same? If you want to understand what Typhoid Mary could have been thinking and what she could have been feeling, read this book. The author's conclusions could be wrong, but I am convinced.

If you just want the known facts about Mary Mallon go to Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoid_...

So why did I remove one star? Well, I am picky; I wish the author had added an author's note clearly stating what fictitious elements she added to the known facts. Was there really an Albert, the love of her life? I am very glad that he was written into the novel because their love relationship felt so real. He must have existed! I hope he existed for Mary Mallon. Their relationship was complicated. The book just would not have drawn my attention as much as it did had he not been there. I need to know ; was Albert real?!

[DeB · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars I was intrigued and interested to learn more after coming across Mary Beth Keane's fictional rendering, in her novel, Fever, about whose unfortunate life coined the phrase, later let slip so mindlessly from between the lips of ignorant kids: Typhoid Mary.

As children, we didn't understand. The intimation was that it meant an impending catastrophe, either in the force of one person or a group. I think we may have muddled it with "Typhoon", which carried a sense of ominous doom - but was hardly related. Chickenpox, now, we knew about them! Transferable disease was not talked about, like money, feelings or death. I felt that I owed Mary Mullen some respect after these years of ignorance.

FEVER is an interesting personal account of Mary Mullen's life, from the time she entered the USA borders in the late 1890s, until her death in 1938. The biographical history follows her relationship with Alfred Biekholt, a handsome ne’er do well, and Mary's steady progress at becoming a notable cook among wealthy New York Families. When the newly appointed Department of Sanitation is called, primarily a vengeful act of an uppity house mistress, Mary becomes the first person to be removed for study of carrying symptomless Typoid Fever, and held without rights for three years, illegally.

Once released, Mary had to find work with her best skill prohibited. Science itself was uncertain to explain the periods of remission and then infectiveness, and were ineffective in assisting these socially isolated patients' situations and educating them, in this upcoming field of Infectious Disease Research.

Mary's financial circumstances led, finally, to her desperately taking a position at a hospital. Years had gone by where she had luckily escaped passing on the Salmonella strain of bacteria, and Mary became careless and perhaps self validating that she was in fact not responsible for the illness in the wake of her cooking positions. This time, however, in the paediatric floor, many, many became ill and some died. Mary Mullen was returned to a solitary cabin, built beside the hospital for those in quarantine and lived the next twenty- three years there until her death.

As a relatively new country, America is believed to have has many hundreds of silent carriers in its midsts. Author Mary Beth Keane was remiss in not giving her reading audience at least a short summarized history of Virile Diseases up to this point, and a solid understanding about Typhoid Fever. This background could have elevated her interesting novel to an outstanding one. I kept waiting for that "hook" but it never came, and ended up referring to Google for data to fill in the gaps, clarify the hints and understand the difficulty with diagnosis and life saving until the introduction of antibiotics, once it was known as a bacterium.

Therefore, a solid history of the mystified centre of Mary Mullen's life, which was worth knowing about. No more Typhoon Mary! And positive, I guess, that I wanted to clarify the very important science.

3.5 stars.

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

***received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads

This was a great book. Wonderfully written and a very interesting tale of Mary Mallone (Typhoid Mary). Mary Mallone was the first person in the United States identified as an asymptomatic carrier for Typhoid fever. She worked as a cook and many became sick and some died after she prepared food for them. She adamantly refused to acknowledge that anyone became sick as a result of her preparing food for them. She maintained that she was a healthy person and there was no connection between her cooking and people becoming ill.

I love books that make me think and also make me want to know more about he subject matter. I also love books that make me feel and this book made me feel, think and want to learn more. At first I really liked Mary and I liked how she advocated for herself and stood up for herself. But as the book went on, I wanted to take her and shake her. She refused to cooperate with authorities/doctors, changed her name, and did fully give information about her past. Was she really clueless or did she just not care? I have my theory but will let others decide for themselves.

As I stated above, this is a very well written book. The author obviously put a lot of time and effort into research. It is a compelling story; one that stays with you upon finishing the book. I will be recommending this book to my book club and to others I know who love a good book.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Patricija || book.duo · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Sunku suprasti tai, ko nematai, neužuodi, negali paliesti ir apčiuopti. Apie tai daug galvojau pakeliui į Černobylį, vaikščiodama tarp pastatų, kurie per vieną naktį iš namų pavirto mauzoliejais. Apie tai galvojau ir važiuodama pro namus, į kuriuos gyventojai sugrįžo – net tariamai suvokdami to pasekmes, net po to, kai savo akimis matė mirtį, kurią radiacija pasėjo. Panašias emocijas kėlė ir „Šiltinė“, žmonėms susiduriant su problema, kurios iki galo nesupranta net tie, kurie sakosi ją sprendžiantys. Vis iškyla į paviršių vis kitais būdais Merei užduodamas klausimas: kaip galėjai nežinoti? Kaip galėjai nežinoti, kad sėji mirtį, kaip galėjai nesuprasti, kad miršta ištisos šeimos? Aš negaliu neklausti: kaip galėjote nepaaiškinti?

Imdama į rankas „Šiltinę“, gal kiek apgauta viršelio, kuris man dvelkė niūria gotika ir rūke skęstančiomis gatvėmis, tikėjausi šiurpinančios, beveik siaubo istorijos apie moterį, paskui save sėjančią mirtį vidurių šiltinės pavidalu. Apie Mikrobų Moterį, Šiltininkę Merę, o galiausiai, tiesiog Merę Mallon buvau girdėjusi tik vos vos, todėl leidau fantazijai, pakurstytai dailaus viršelio, lėkti laukais palaidais plaukais. Bet jaučiuosi pastaruoju metu tik ir dalijanti įspėjimus: neapsigaukite. Niekas čia rūke skęstančiose gatvėse nesišlaisto, kraujo į prabangios suknelės padurkus nesišluosto ir į mėnulį nekvatoja. Knygoje Mary B.Keane nagrinėjamos problemos tokios šiurpinančiai tinkamos net ir šiems laikams, ypač kai veidus dengia kaukės, o rankas – pirštinės, o pati veikėja tokia paveiki ir iš pačių įvairiausių kampų įspūdinga, kad negaliu nepriskirti jos prie vienos iš įdomiausių, apie kurią kada teko skaityti.

Visi Merės priimami sprendimai, taip meistriškai aprašomi autorės, užsuka nežinojimo, neigimo ir užsimerkimo prieš problemą ratą, kurį gali sustabdyti tik informacija. Informacija, kurios neišeina išgirsti per visą aplinkinį triukšmą – žurnalistų skandalo paieškas, policininkų norą nubausti, gydytojų norą rasti vaistą ir skiepą, norą informuoti visus ir kiekvieną – visuomenę, bendruomenę, aplinkinius, visus susidūrusius ir galinčius susidurti. Bet ne pačią Merę. Merė Malon, visada save laikiusi tiesiog puikia virėja, save įprasminančią per darbą, negali suprasti kaip darydama tai, ką daro geriausiai, galėjo ką nors pasmerkti mirčiai. Ir skaitant neaišku kas gąsdina labiau – šitai ar tai, kad niekas niekada nepasivargino jai to tinkamai paaiškinti. Merė buvo eksperimentiniu triušiu, auka, teisiamąja, atstumtąja, tačiau niekada tiesiog paciente. Ir tai man kraują stingdė labiau, nei bet kokios mintys apie mirtiną ligą.

Knyga atsmoferiška, parašyta itin įtaigiai, o veikėjai, ypač pati Merė – įvairialypiai ir besikeičiantys kartu su knygoje bėgančiais metais. „Šiltinėje“ telpa tiek daug visko – čia ir netipinė, stereotipus laužanti meilės istorija, ir nuostabus, toli gražu ne vien patrauklus moters portretas, darantis įspūdį suvokiant jį tuometinio laikmečio kontekste. Čia ir tuometinės socialinės, politinės, medicininės, ekonominės situacijos ir susidariusių aplinkybių pjūvis, parodantis daugiau, nei matyti būtų malonu ar patogu, bet neleidžiantis atitraukti akių. Skaityti rekomenduoju iš visos širdies. Visiems, kurie vis dar kaukę užsideda tik dėl gręsiančios baudos, visiems, kurie į parduotuvę patraukia vos pritrūksta sviesto, kurie ieško būdų išvažiuoti iš miesto, kai kelius saugo policija. Ir tuo pačiu su siaubu suvokiu, kad nesvarbu ką mes, kaip visuomenė ir kaip Pasaulis dar išgyvensime – net didžiausių tragedijų akivaizdoje bus tų, kurie numos ranka. Tik ar jie irgi galėtų nuoširdžiai pasakyti, kad nežinojo?..

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this for the longest time but was a bit wary of starting this book as I was afraid that this would be a very sad and thug on my emotions. It definitely did that but it was a truly fascinating novel that sadly is based on reality. I felt for Mary, that she was put on blast for being the cause for so much suffering and treated the way she was, without them telling exactly how it was caused. From this book she sounded like a very fascinating person and I wish that her story would have been different. Like the story of a cook like she had wanted to been. A truly emersive read and I'm glad I finally got around to it

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Mallon (1869-1938), so called Typhoid Mary, was an Irish immigrant who came to New York. “She began as a laundress, but with an innate talent for cooking, Mary ascended the domestic-service ladder and worked as a cook for upper-class families.” However, in 1907 it was discovered that she was the first “healthy carrier” of Typhoid Fever in America. “To prevent Mary from further spreading the disease, the New York Department of Health isolated her on North Brother Island for three years. A condition of her release was that she never cook professionally again.” Had she used her second chance wisely?

New York, 1907. Mary Mallon, a cook for a prominent NYC family is removed from her employment and quarantined. It is “alleged that she has been passing Typhoid Fever through her cooking, though she manifests no signs of the disease herself.”

She truly believes that there is nothing wrong with her and she is having a hard time reconciling with the injustice done to her. “She’d gone from working and living in NYC, making a good wage, buying what she liked, to being trapped on an island…”

She receives a letter from a lawyer, who is pretty sure he could win her case. After three years at North Brother Island, she is released under a condition that she can’t work as a cook. She goes back to being laundress. There is no magic, no real transformations that come with cooking. Not mentioning much lower wages. Life becomes “one long, narrow road, with no turns, no peaks or valleys.” When she has had enough, she says no to working on Sundays and no to low wages. She has had enough of dishonest cobbler selling wobbly shoes.

Mary is a strong headed woman, of great passion and reckless judgement. She is a gifted cook, passionate about transforming food into a tasty meal. But she is also stubborn and doesn’t want to face facts, thus putting lives at risk. She sees herself as a victim.

The story is engrossingly presented in action, unraveling many layers to who Mary is; what she feels and thinks; what she experiences at different houses where she is employed; how she makes her way from Ireland to NY; how she gets her first job and her transformation to being a cook.

There are layers to Mary that you do want to sympathize with her. But there are also layers when you feel disappointment. I hoped for this strong character to reinvent herself. It’s true that her options were limited, but at the same time it seems as she never gave herself that chance, to test what else could be out there for her. It seems like her stubbornness was her loss. You can make yourself a victim once, but not twice.

The story also brings the vivid portrayal of the city. The hustle and bustle of the streets. The smell. The crowded tenements. And the lives of the servant class. It is all brilliantly presented and written.

[Veronika Can · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaip gali patikėti, kad esi viruso platintoja, kai pati nejauti visiškai jokių simptomų? Aktualu.. juk šią dieną išgyvename kažką panašaus.. Turbūt todėl toks populiarumas šios knygos. Istorija kažkiek sukrečia, nenuspėjama. Ką išgyvena pagr. knygos veikėja, kai apkaltinama, ištremiama, be jokių konkrečių paaiškinimų. Jos gyvenimas kardinaliai pasikeičia.. Kas man patiko - tai jos ryžtas, tikėjimas ir kelių žingsnių į priekį apmąstymas. Veiksmų planas ir atkaklus siekimas. Ir vis tik, ji pripažįsta tai, ir tampa taip skaudu, žmogus pasiduoda..
Kita tema - meilė, ta tikroji ir vienintelė, ta sudėtingoji, kai rodos tave tik traukia žemyn.. o palikti ir viską mesti negali, nes juk tiek gerų prisiminimų.. Kai myli ir jautiesi atsakingas už kitą žmogų, nors akivaizdžiai matai, kad jis nesistengia ir niekas nepasikeis kad ir kiek įdėtum pastangų. Ir šios dvi temos - virusas ir meilė - čia tokios ryškios, kad net sunku išskirti, kas buvo įdomiau.

🖋️ Gimus kūdikiui visi linkėdavo, kad šis liktų gyvas, bet niekas nenustebdavo, kai jis galop mirdavo, mirdavo beveik visi...
🖋️ Kartais vienas dalykas veda prie kito, nors linija nebūna tiesi.
🖋️ ...ne pirmą kartą Merė pastebėjo, kad Dievas veikia, kaip pakliūva.
🖋️ Ji negalėjo atsikratyti įpročio uždavinėti klausimus, į kuriuos niekada neišgirs atsakymų.
🖋️ ... debesys grasino audra.
🖋️ Vyrai nesupranta, kad moterims reikia turėti kuo pasipuošti...
🖋️ ...jai ėmė rodytis, kad gyvenimas - tik vienas ilgas, siauras kelias, be jokių posūkių, įkalnių ir nuokalnių.
🖋️ Kai galvoju, kad man nepasisekė, turiu prisiminti, kad man pasisekė.
🖋️ Net tais mėnesiais, kai jie buvo pametę vienas kito pėdsaką, ji žinojo, kad jis kažkur yra, taškelis žemėlapyje, ir ji galėdavo ilgai spėlioti, ar jis galvoja apie ją, ar tie "taškeliai" - jis ir ji - artėja, nė vienam iš judviejų to nesuvokiant.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fever is a fascinating novel that mixes historical fact and a fictional narrative to tell the tale of 'Typhoid Mary', the woman held responsible for several deadly outbreaks of the disease in the US around the turn of the nineteenth century.

In 1907, Mary Mallon was arrested at the direction of the Department of Health. A forty year old, unmarried, Irish immigrant cook she stood accused of spreading Typhoid, a bacterial disease transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, among the New York households she worked for over a period of several years. Her role was identified by Dr George Soper, a health researcher who discovered that Mary was the link between outbreaks, despite the fact she remained asymptomatic. Mary felt victimised by the state who tried to force her to have surgery to remove her gallbladder (thought at the time to be the host of the disease) and when that failed exiled her to North Brother Island, a Quarantine hospital in the middle of the East River where she eventually spent over 30 years in isolation until her death in 1938.

There was little sympathy at the time for Mary Mallon, who caused the illness of as many as 50 persons, the death of three and likely more. Mary Beth Keane attempts to humanise Typhoid Mary in this novel and illustrate the possible thought process of the woman accused of willfully spreading deadly disease. I am familiar with only the basics of the case (see Wikipedia for an outline) so I am not sure where exactly Keane's imagination merges with known facts but the author brings some balance to the prevailing view of the 'evil' woman who fought the Health Deapartment every step of the way, and later flaunted their decree she was never to cook again.

Mary does prove to be a sympathetic character in Fever, even though she has a temper and a tendency to make poor decisions. Keane focuses on the period between Mary's arrest and her second period of exile, sharing the details of Mary's ordinary day to day life with her common law relationship with Alfred Breihof, a feckless drunk who was often unemployed. Personally I found the chapters focusing on her relationship, or following Alfred, a distraction from Mary's story though it does add depth to her character. Still, I was far more intrigued by Mary's reaction to her vilification as Typhoid Mary. It's understandable that Mary would find it difficult to believe Dr Soper's claims that she was the cause of Typhoid outbreaks, especially given it was a common disease whose cause and mode of transmission was unknown. Accused of creating a trail of illness and death Mary fought the medical establishment, dodging the Dr Soper, refusing testing and denying her culpability. It is also clear that Mary was victimised by the Health Department which took advantage of her status to impose unreasonable demands on her. Despite several larger outbreaks being traced to other asymptomatic carriers soon after Mary's arrest, she was the only one arrested and forcibly exiled, mainly it seems because the other identified carriers were men with family and money, who could not be as easily bullied.

Mary's case raises interesting moral and ethical questions about public health and safety, asking for example, if the rights of one individual outweigh the safety of many. It is also a fascinating glimpse of medical knowledge and sanitation in the early 1900's. Remarkably most of the cases of Typhoid fever could have been avoided with the simple act of hand washing.
Fever is also a vivid portrait of New York City at the turn of the century and particularly of the lifestyle of the 'servant' class. From streets heaped with garbage to rooms crowded with tenants, basic hygiene and sanitation was practically non existent, encouraging diseases that could have been easily eradicated.

The provocative tale of an enigmatic historical figure, Fever is a compelling read. Keane skillfully infuses historical fact with imagined personality to creating an entertaining and intriguing tale which should appeal to a wide audience.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was Mary Mallone (Typhoid Mary) a killer or a victim? I will admit that there were times throughout this novel that I found myself wanting to strangle her and at other times I wanted to be her advocate and friend. I really admired her strong work ethic and fierce independence while questioning her cleanliness in the kitchen (double dipping...double yuck!).

Any novel that evokes these kinds of mixed emotions from me gets high marks (stars). Well done!

[Elze Kmitaite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Šio karantino hitas be abejo – Šiltinė. Romanas, paremtas tikra istorija apie XX amžiaus pradžioje Niujorke gyvenusią airių kilmės virėją Mary Malon – pirmąją besimptomę vidurių šiltinės nešiotoją, dar žinomą kaip „Typhoid Mary“.

Romane, kaip suprantu, gan tiksliai ir dokumentiškai atpasakojamas Merės gyvenimas. Iš Airijos į JAV emigravusi mergina viso Niujorko virtuvėse žinoma kaip puiki šefė – ji maistą gamina su tokiu subtilumu, kurio nesitikima iš žemiškos, neprotingos airės (ah, good old xenofobia). Gauna vis geresnes pozicijas, gamina valgius aukštuomenės ponams. Išlaiko savo alkoholiką mylimąjį. Jai sekasi. Ji laiminga – considering.

Tačiau beveik kiekvienuose namuose, kuriuose ji gamina, ima siausti vidurių šiltinė. Netrunka paaiškėti, kad tai ji – Merė – šiltinės ir mirties nešiotoja, nors pati sveikut sveikutėlė. Romane aprašoma daug metų vykusi kova tarp Merės ir ją gaudžiusių ir į karantiną speitusių daktarų ir teisėsaugos. O taip pat ir jos ilgametė meilės istorija su vokiečiu emigrantu Alfredu (žiauriai geras veikėjas ir man, kaip mačiusiai gyvenime žmonių su priklausomybėm – gaivus oro gurkšnis. Nei romantizuotas, nei nukryžiuotas. O tiesiog. Toks koks yra.)

Faina tai, kad istorija labai nevienapusiška. Mes „sergam“ už Merę (cha), nes jos akimis regime pasaulį. Jos šaltu, užtrikrintu, narsiu ir nepalenkiamu balsu mums pasakojama ši istorija. Todėl akis bado, koks seksizmas ir rasizmas vešėjo prieš šimtą metų – ji uždaroma tik todėl, kad yra moteris? Ji uždaroma tik todėl, kad yra imigrantė? Skaitytojas tiki Mere. Besąlygiškai už ją laiduoja. Taip, ją persekioja. Uždaro į izoliaciją. Tačiau ar visus Merės veiksmus galime pateisinti? Man skaitant kaip ji – jau žinodama situaciją, žinodama, kad nešioja mirtiną ligą: „išlygino kriaušės skilteles. Pirštų galiukais išdėliojo šilauoges tvarkingu pusapskritimiu, paskui šalia braškes. Žaibiškai įkišo pirštą į ledų dubenį – ar nereikia daugiau cukraus. Nulaižė šaukštą <...>, vėl įmerkė į dubenį.“(305) plaukai stojo piestu. Imi ant jos pykt. Bet sergi už ją. Vis tiek.

Niujorko atmosfera, amžiaus pradžios subtilybės. Daugiabučiai, kur girdi kaip už sienos niaujas kaimynai. Skalbyklos. Gaisras, pro langą krintantys vaikai. Heroinas. Heroinas kaip vaistai. Moterys, kovojančios už vietą po saule. Meilė – tokios tikros jau seniai neskaičiau. Paliestos civil rights, women‘s rigths temos – visos kurios dažnai pakvimpa demagogijom, bet nu nepakvipo. Viskas man patiko. Būsiu šį kartą išvien su liaupsinančiųjų banga. Duodu 5 iš 5.

[Blondish And Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew that Typhoid Mary was a real person, who'd unknowingly infected people with Typhoid Fever, and that after she agreed not to continue working as a cook she did so anyway. ...And that is ALL I knew. Mary Beth Keane's book gives life to Mary Mallon's story.

Mary came to the US from Ireland, and she was brave, strong, proud, and determined. She was a talented cook, and that was part of the problem. As we now know, Mary was an asymptomatic carrier of Typhoid. She worked her way up the servant scale from a laundress to a cook, and as she worked for families she left a trail of illness and death.

Mary was in denial about carrying Typhoid. She had never, to her recollection, been sick with Typhoid, and in fact was never sick at all, she was gleaming with health her whole life. She had special abilities as a cook, and as anyone would, she wanted to exercise her skills. She got lots of praise and respect as a cook. In addition, a job as a cook paid THREE TIMES what a laundress job paid. So it's impossible to blame Mary for wanting to continue on as a cook.

When the doctors decided that Mary was a carrier, they literally kidnapped her and hospitalized her, then locked her on an island normally used to isolate people who had diseases like leprosy. Unsurprisingly, this did not make her want to cooperate! She didn't understand the science behind what they were saying—and to be fair, they had a lot of it wrong too. For awhile, they were convinced that she stored Typhoid in her gall bladder, and they tried to force her to let them remove it. She refused, and later they admitted that theory was wrong. So again, it's difficult to blame Mary for not understanding or wanting to work with the doctors to resolve the issue.

And yet—Mary was the equivalent of a loaded weapon. She killed people, albeit indirectly through ignorance and negligence. So of course she couldn't be just let alone, to continue infecting people and taking lives.

From the perspective of time, when we understand the science better, and we know the historical outcome, it seems that they might have made more progress by reasoning with Mary, or perhaps even by simply paying her the the wages she would have made as a cook and not putting her in a position where she was tempted to break her parole in order to work in the kitchen for the money.

Although this book is historical fiction, and obviously Mary's thoughts and conversations are guessed at, the broad outlines of the facts that we know are accurate, and I enjoyed it tremendously.

[LG · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Typhoid Mary” has intrigued me ever since I learned about her, so I was glad to discover this book. Unfortunately, the most deadly thing about it is the story. Life isn’t always drama and suspense, of course, but a reader expects more from a fictionalized biography. Perhaps the story would have been better told as non-fiction, à la Henrietta Lacks. Or, if the people who dealt with Mallon were as fascinated by her as we still are, this is probably one of those extremely rare stories better told through multiple perspectives: nurses, doctors, Alfred, John Cane, O’Neill and others. I’m sure they had interesting opinions on Mary.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mary Beth Keane since her books are different, but this really sounds worth reading. I have this book and am looking forward to reading it❣️ It’s on my stack of 💯, but I will get it in since the story sounds that good…..or so I said a long time ago. I still want to Read this as of 6/24/24.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Mary Mallon arrives in New York Harbor as a teenager near the end of the 19th century, fleeing the wretched poverty that millions of Irish had tried to escape since the Famine of the 1840s. Alone, she makes her way, first as a laundress, then as a cook. By her mid-twenties, Mary is sought after by wealthy families to manage the kitchens of their Upper East side townhouse and Oyster Bay mansions.

She's unconventional, to say the least. A tall, striking blonde, outspoken and assertive, with a tendency to stand arms akimbo, her feet wide apart like a man when she's challenged, Mary lives with her lover, Alfred, a German immigrant. As the story opens, they've been together 20 years but are unlikely to ever marry. Mary's too independent and Alfred, too unreliable. His gadabout employment and frequent benders try Mary's patience and she often takes cooking jobs that keep her away from home for months at a time.

But this isn't just a story about an immigrant who navigates loneliness, poverty, filth and clamor of turn-of-the-century New York City to build her own life. This is the story of the killer that lives inside Mary and the heartless treatment by authorities of a woman made victim by her own body.

History tells us that Mary may have been born with the pathogen that causes typhoid, a dreaded disease most associated with crowded communities deprived of basic sanitary needs: toilets and hot running water. Mary was never ill with the disease, but likely passed it on to the families she cooked for through handling raw food and—as Mary Beth Keane shows us so brilliantly in a later scene—licking spoons or a finger to taste a batter or sauce and using that same tool to stir or shape.

Yes, this is the story of that Mary: Typhoid Mary. Mary Beth Keane offers us the woman behind the cliché and the meme, humanizing the tragedy that Mary unwittingly caused and that which she suffered.

Mary was tracked down by supercilious "sanitary engineer" George Soper, who'd been hired by an aristocrat Mary worked for to trace the cause of the typhoid outbreak his family suffered in 1906. Mary was hogtied and forced into a hospital in New York and soon transferred to North Brother Island in the Hudson River, where she would threeyears—on her first stint of captivity—isolated and subjected to routine humiliation. She eventually won her freedom through a court order, after promising never to cook again. A promise Mary ultimately did not keep.

As much as Keane works to flesh out Mary Mallon, the narrative is porous in places. She invents Mary's lover, Alfred, and devotes considerable space to a relationship that merits little interest. The Alfred subplot, and inexplicably, the chapters devoted to his unnecessary point-of-view felt like filler, demonstrating that the historical record of Mary Mallon is achingly thin.

This frustration is ameliorated by the rich period detail, the deep exploration of life in New York City in the early 20th century, a city of such contrasts and so many stories. Any fan of historical fiction will be richly rewarded by Keane's skilled scene-setting.

Fever appeared in 2013, several years before the Covid-19 Pandemic. It is a fascinating read in hindsight, realizing that even with 115 years of research and technology between the tragedy of Typhoid Mary and our recent crisis, we remain on the defensive to microscopic entities, reacting in arrogance and fear in our attempts to mitigate disease.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, Mary's life was definitely well researched but I think I expected a wider view from this novel. It really does mainly center on just Mary's life and not on the medical research or overall typhoid picture in any detail. In our present day, she probably would have not been arrested and treated as she did and I did feel sorry for her in places. She had such a hard time grasping that she could ever be a carrier without being sick herself. She was not a very likable figure and unfortunately the book chronicles, way too long, in my opinion, her misfortune, her belaboring what was done to her. So it is hard to find a balance, between decrying the injustice done to her and the pity one feels with all the families that were decimated due to the fever, with the rather imperious unlikable character she presented. So while this was okay, I was expecting a little more.

[Gretos knygos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ši knyga galėtų tapti neblogu šių metų simboliu. Viskas taip panašu, matyta, girdėta. O žinot, kas baisiausia? Kad kai jau manai, kad pasaulis tikrai bus kitoks, mokslas pažengęs, medicina patobulėjusi, tačiau kaip ir 1899, taip ir dabar susiduriame su žmonėmis, kurie netiki, nors tu ką. Viskas yra konspiracijos teorija, sugalvota, sukurta. Iki tol, kol nepaliečia mūsų, ar mūsų artimo.

Merė Malon - tikra moteris, kurios istorijos įkvėpta Mary Beth Keane sugalvojo parašyti romaną. Romaną apie Šiltininkę Merę. Apie Mikrobų Moterį. Apie virėją, kuri pati būdama sveika, nešiojo šiltinės užkratą ir gamindama maistą tarsi giltinė dalino mirtį visiems aplink. Iki tol, kol ją pagavo valdžia, įkurdino saloje palei Temzę, užkrečiamų ligų klinikoje, kurioje ji praleido labai daug laiko. Ir daugiau nepasakosiu, nes ir pasakoti, siužeto prasme, nėra ką.

Pradėsiu nuo gerų dalykų - labai patiko rašymo stilius ir vertimas. Nors knyga skaitėsi sunkiai (ypač viduryje, kai pasidarė nepaprastai nuobodu), tačiau mane žavėjo kalba, pats tekstas. Šedevro čia nėra ir nebus, tačiau kažkas traukė skaityti toliau. O gal tiesiog tas faktas, jog viskas nepaprastai artima, tai kartu ir gundė ir varė baimę. Kiek aplink mus yra tokių? O kiek žmonių aplink šaiposi, išgirdę apie besimptomius ligos nešiotojus. Iki tos akimirkos, kol užkrato neatneša patiems. Tik iki tos akimirkos, net neabejoju.

Daug visko norisi pasakyti. Ar manau, kad Merė kvaila? Neišsilavinusi? Užsispyrusi? Neatsakinga? Visko po truputį, tačiau labiausiai visą knygą mane gąsdino jos neigimas. Užmerktos akys prieš viską ir visus. Visas mirtis, pasėkmes, rezultatus to, jog ji norėjo gaminti. Ir tas jos noras, tiesiogine ta žodžio prasme, žudė.

Įdomi knyga. Sakydama įdomi, sakau, jog istorija skatina domėtis, skaityti daugiau apie tuos laikus. Skaityti apie medicinos naujoves, mokytis naujų dalykų, kad tik kaip įmanoma greičiau išliptume iš tamsumos.

Nors knyga įdomi, tačiau šviesos joje mažai. O ko gi dar galėjau tikėtis iš tokios istorijos? Ji kitokia, ir kitu metu galbūt vertinčiau visiškai priešingai, tačiau dabar tegaliu per emocinę prizmę. Pykstu ant Merės, labai pykstu, tiek ant romano veikėjos, tiek ant tikrosios Merės, gyvenusios prieš šimtą metų. Kuo skiriasi tai, ką darė ji, nuo to, kai peiliu subadomas kitas žmogus? Kai uždusinamas pagalve? Nežinau, ar toks skirtumas yra.

Man ši knyga sujaukė protą, mintis. Supratau, kad norisi daugiau kalbėti svarbiomis temomis ir dažniau plautis rankas.

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Leidyklos dovana.

[Nora|KnyguDama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Žiauriai gražus viršelis. Ir kiek žiūrinėjau kitų šalių leidimus – gražesnio nė nemačiau. O ir istorija, vos sužinojus apie ką ji, labai vilioja! Tikra istorija apie besimptomę siaubingos ligos nešiotoją 1907 metais! Aha, labai seniai, o žodžiai kaip iš šio vakaro žinių. Tik niekas knygoje nemini koronos. Čia autorė kalba apie virėją Merę Melon ir jos kūne apsistojusią vidurių šiltinę, apie kurią Merė nei žino, nei jos jaučia. Merė išties gyveno, išties platino ligą ir ši knygą yra romanas, paremtas jos gyvenimo istorija.

Merė – puiki virėja. Apie jos valgius sklinda legendos, tad ir jos darbdaviai neeiliniai. Turtingos ar pasiturinčios šeimos vis samdo Merę ir vis laidoją ką nors iš savo artimųjų. Garsioji virėja tiesiog „sėja“ mirtį, tad visai greitai tuo šleifu ją pasiveja medikai, išveda iš namų ir uždaro atokioje saloje, kur jai nuolatos atlieka tyrimus, ima mėginius ir ieško atsakymo į paprastą klausimą: kaip? Kaip akivaizdžiai ligą platinanti moteris gali pati nesirgti? Išplėšta iš namų, darbų, savo gyvenimo, Merė nebežino ką daryti. Kreipiasi į teismą, samdo advokatą, kovoja už elementarią savo laisvę, tačiau jos kova – lyg su vėjo malūnais.

Prieš imdama skaityti, maniau, kad knyga bus tokia tamsi, klampi, persmelkta ligų, sudėtingų asmenybės laisvės problemų... Atmosfera panaši į Hanos Kent „Paskutines apeigas“. Tačiau pradėjusi skaityti labai maloniai nustebau. Knyga labai lengvai skaitosi, stilius labai paprastas ir neperspaustas visom tom tamsybėm, kalba labai kasdieniška ir nepasunkinta visokiom dvasinėm metamorfozėm. Merės personažas irgi labai patiko. Ne kokia raudanti kankinė, o tvirta, protinga ir net kovinga moteriškė. Kadangi tema labai artima šių dienų aktualijoms, bandžiau įsivaizduoti save tokioje padėtyje. Tu nieko nejauti, viskas su tavim kaip ir gerai, o paima, išveža, uždaro ir daryk ką nori – niekas tau jokios pagalbos neteikia, elementarūs įstatymai tau kažkodėl nebetaikomi, esi visiškai kitų valioje, o susikurtas gyvenimas slenka pro šalį, kol tu trūniji atskirta. Baisu. Bet knyga gera. Netikėtai lengva, įtraukianti ir iki paskutinio puslapio įdomi. Galėjo dar pabaigoje būti kokie faktai, ar dar tikros istorijos apie Merę Melon, bet neradau to. Beje, pagal knygą jau kuriamas serialas, kur pagrindinę veikėją vaidins Elizabeth Moss.

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose to read this for my "book club" (aka me and two friends) because I really enjoyed Mary Beth Keane's second novel "Ask Again, Yes" but didn't think I would pick her earlier novel on my own; I just didn't think a story told from Typhoid Mary's perspective sounded very interesting. So it was a "I oughta read this but I dont want to" pick.

The writing is once again pretty good and easy to read, but not as strong or interesting. I also thought there were parts that were written too simplistic and at least quite cheesy too. But overall the novel easily held my attention and entertained me. Keane tries to make the reader sympathize with Mary, but it never really worked for me. It was strange coming to this book in the middle of a pandemic because Mary's - and some other characters' - reasoning for why she couldn't have been the cause of death for so many people and why it was really unfair for her to have to stop cooking reminded me of so many "why should I have to change my life in any way when I'm not worried about being sick" types of people. In Mary's defense, germ theory of disease was not as well-established back in 1907 and asymptomatic carriers were something newly discovered. Still, Mary's stance was irritating, even though I felt for her when she was quarantined for the first time, and then later a second time when she broke the agreement not to cook. Although the novel is centered around Mary's struggle with accepting her disease and the damage she's caused, a large part of the book is about her and her partner. Their love story or rather the tragedy of it was, although entertaining, a little obvious.

I think the novel was hindered by it being about a real historic person and trying to include all the real parameters and names, but trying to turn around the perception a reader would have of the events and characters. It's a very obvious "You thought Typhoid Mary was bad? But have you ever looked at it from her POV?!" both-siding attempt, which I found a little irritating. As a stand alone story it was an entertaining and easy read, but not definitely not as good as "Ask Again, Yes". I haven't read her debut yet but I'm still curious.

[Dorian Jandreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eilinį vakarą keldamas knyga į Goodreads radau šitą. Kadangi pats turiu medicininį išsilavinimą, tai mane patraukė šios knygos pavadinimas ir perskaičiau aprašymą. Sudomino, nes man patinka knygos apie ligas, mediciną, gydytojus ir t.t. Gavęs pinigų vaikščiojau po knygyną ir sustojęs prie naujienų pagalvojau: „Velniop tuos 15 eur. Nevalgęs pabūsiu savaitę.“. Taip šita knyga atsidūrė mano namuose ir baigęs skaityti svarbesnę knygą- griebiau šitą. Skaityti iš tikrųjų gan lengva ir puslapiai skriete skrieja. Tikrai nejaučiau nuobodulio ir neužmigau. O man taip dažnai skaitant nutinka. xD

Taigi... šita istorija apie moterį virėją Niujorke, kuri prievarta išvežama į karantiną, nes pasak gydytojų ji platina šiltinę pati nesirgdama. Na, o kaip žinant tais laikais dar nebuvo išrašyti antibiotikai tad tokios infekcijos kaip šiltinė ar tuberkuliozė nebuvo gydomos ir tai buvo mirties nuosprendis. Tad ji praleido 27 mėnesius izoliuota saloje. Pažeminta. Apšmeižta. Ji buvo smerkiama ne vien dėl ligos, bet ir dėl gyvenimo būdo: nesusituokusi gyveno su savo vaikinu Alfredu, kuris buvo alkoholikas. Tad man asmeniškai tai buvo jautri tema... Kodėl ji taikstėsi su jo alkoholizmu ir tai toleravo? Kodėl jo nepaliko kai buvo laikas tam? Meilė? Prisirišimas? Galbūt. Bet jų santykiai tikrai kažkokie sado-mazo: matyt jai patiko kentėti su tokiu alkoholiku. Beskaitant taip ir norėjosi pasakyti: „Na, mesk tu jį, nebūk kvaila. Kam tau tokio girtuoklio reikia?“ Bet istorija pati pasisuko norima linkme.

Merė buvo itin nepriklausoma ir stipri moteris. Tokio vyriško tipo, o dėl to į ją visi tais laikais kreivai žiūrėdavo ir prikaišiodavo jos būdą. Ji sunkiai dirbo, kad išgyventų, bet išsiaiškinus, kad ji platina šiltinę neteko mėgstamiausio darbo- virti. Tai jai buvo didžiausias smūgis, nes virimas buvo jos aistra. Puikiai ją suprantu, nes pats mirčiau nei negalėčiau gaminti maisto ir juo vaišinti kitus žmones. Taip ji bandė rasti darbą kitose sferose, bet jai nepatiko niekas. Ji tenorėjo gaminti maistą, o Sveikatos departamentas to neleido. Vis netekdama dabų kraustėsi iš vienos vietos į kitą nerasdama nuolatinės vietos.
APIBENDRINIMAS: įdomi istorija, tačiau kiek monotoniška, įdomi mediciniškai kaip tais laikais buvo elgiamasi su pacientais ir lengvai skaitoma.

[Dmitrijus Andrušanecas · Rating 2 out of 5]

MARY BETH KEANE. ŠILTINĖ.

Ką jaučiu dabar - šviežiausios emocijos. Ir aš jaučiu nusivylimą.

ŠILTINĖ turėjo potencialą būti gera istorija, geru romanu, kuris galėjo tikti tiek komerciniam skaitytojui, tiek ir kiek išrankesniam skaitytojui. Dabar, kai pasaulis eina iš proto dėl tikrų istorijų, to fakto-cinkelio, kurį galima apvilkti į grožinės literatūros apdarą, ŠILTINĖ galėjo būti daugiau.

Pats pagrindinis knygos personažas pasirodė ne toks įdomus, koks galėjo būti. Ji - tai silpna, tai stipri, apkarpyta ir nevientisa. Nepasitikėjau ja, netikėjau ja, dažnai norėjosi pakratyti paėmus už pečių ir pasakyti kelis nemalonius žodelius. Suprantu, ką žmonės nori pasakyti, kai pasakoja apie neišbaigtą veikėją, kurio nesuprato, neprisijaukino. Tai ne tas atvejis, kuriame myli-nekenti personažą, tiesiog - prėska. Jos elgesys kažkuo atgrasus ir tiesmukas, nejaučiu šauksmo jausti jai užuojautą.

Istorija, paties manymu, yra ištęsta iki nereikalybės. Sutraukčiau knygą iki kelių šimtų puslapių, koncentruočiau daugiau dėmesį į įvykius, veikėją, o eilinius palikčiau ramybėje arba panaudočiau kaip pastiprinimą Šiltininkei. Pačiam pasirodė neįdomus partnerio gyvenimas, prie ko jis čia?

Ir, na nejaugi tas Soperis toks prielipa, kuris visada suranda, kuris kelia tokį nemalonų pojūtį, kuris nėra pažabojamas sveiko proto ar atitinkamų instancijų. Be to, jokios kulminacijos - sprogimo, ašarų, pykčio, juoko, išgyvenimo ar užjautimo. Ne.

Pamėginau įžvelgti daugiau nei erzinančią aplinką, veikėjus. Laikmetis ir iššūkiai, su kuriais reikėjo tuomet susidurti. Purvas, skurdas ir kitos nejaukios detalės, alkoholizmas, vaistų tinkamas/netinkamas naudojimas. Niekada nesusimąsčiau, kad iš pradžių narkotinės priemonės (ar taip galima vadinti?) buvo išrašomos ir vartojamos geromis intencijomis.

Liūdna, nes pats cinkelis turėjo nemažai potencialo. O gal, jeigu taip jaučiuosi, reiškia, kad pasakojimas buvo visai nieko? Svarstau, kad tokią knygą versti į lietuvių kalbą rinkčiausi tik tuomet, kai norėčiau komercinės sėkmės, nes parduoti būtų itin lengva.

Nežinau, dabar jaučiuosi nusivylęs. Tenka pripažinti, kad įdomiausia knygos vieta buvo epilogas. Perskaitykite patys ir įsitikinkite. Nors jeigu lentynoje daugybė neskaitytų knygų, praleiskite šią.

[Orsolya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typhoid Mary. Whether one views her as victim or villain, her story is an amazing one. Although admitting to taking historical liberties, Mary Beth Keane portrays Mary Mallon’s emotional point of view in “Fever”.

“Fever” isn’t a traditional bio-fiction novel, as it doesn’t follow Mary’s life from beginning to end but rather jumps right into the action of her being accused of carrying and spreading Typhoid, her subsequent “lock up” at a hospital, and her court trial.

Initially, the novel is somewhat vague in both the plot and Mary’s character arc. The beginning of the novel focuses on Mary’s quarantine at the hospital over a duration of three years and yet it glosses over this time span in a mere few chapters. At this point, the reader doesn’t feel like the real Mary is revealed and will find it difficult to be sympathetic to her. Keane clearly attempts to victimize Mary but while she makes statements concerning Mary’s frustration and depression while quarantined, actions speak louder than words and the reader doesn’t fully feel it from Mary. Keane missed an opportunity to truly build Mary’s character and add drama by gazing over this period of Mary’s life.

Despite this lack of detail, “Fever” still manages to have a lively pace and feel vivid with historical accuracy concerning her Typhoid. In fact, the imagery could easily be substituted for a movie manuscript (the novel begs to be adapted into film form).

As “Fever” progresses into describing Mary’s trial, more of her background is unveiled like puzzle pieces of a mystery as she recalls memories while staring off in the court room. At times, these various paths which bring to mind her childhood, career, personal life, and recent quarantine can be somewhat confusing and disheveled. Basically, the memory lapse method of writing can become “old”. It also felt like Keane didn’t know which path to choose while writing.

Keane intertwines “Fever” with an underlying romantic plot (isn’t this typical in historical fiction?) involving Mary’s alcoholic boyfriend, Alfred. This humanizes her, adds realism, and develops a side which isn’t always considered when thinking of this real-life woman making her relatable. Plus, Keane successfully demonstrates the connections of how this personal drama would cause any individual (not just Mary) to either give up or fight more for justice regarding her quarantine, trial, and potentially: her life.

The second half of “Fever” varies drastically from the first in the quality of both the story and the writing style, which mesh together in a chunky way (simply put: it isn’t as good as the first section). Keane begins the section by focusing on the romance portion of the plot seemingly forgetting about the whole Typhoid aspect. Furthermore, the narration switches to that of Alfred and then abruptly jumps away from his character. Keane then adds historical elements such as the sinking of the Titantic, which are clearly mentioned to help set the time period but aren’t expressed smoothly and feel quite pointless. Only after all that does Keane return to the Typhoid theme. This is all rather confusing and senseless.

Even though this second half continues with the alternating narration and maintains the focus on the romance; it is convincing and entertaining. However, it is disappointing that the Typhoid feature of the historical story/facts aren’t the main focus as they are quite interesting in ‘real life’ and could have helped strengthen the story. This historical accuracy ebbs in ratio and favor to the fictional romance.

The plot again takes an about-face focusing on drugs and feels as though Keane had too many areas of interest and couldn’t decide which to stick to. “Fever” becomes quite disjointed and choppy. The conclusion of “Fever” is satisfying enough and quietly ends the story but isn’t as solid as I’d hoped.

Overall, Mary is not a particularly likable character as she is stuck up, haughty, and seems to lack remorse. Plus, it is very frustrating that she didn’t just accept her lot and quit cooking or put on some gloves! Sick or not, the way she cooked wasn’t sanitary to begin with. Please note that that a character not being likable does NOT mean that a book is not written well. It annoys me greatly when a book receives poor reviews based merely on a character not being liked.

Despite my complaints and not necessarily liking the second half of “Fever” as much as the first; the novel follows a terrific topic, is entertaining, and employs considerable depth to be captivating. Keane’s work is well-written with vivid imagery and worth a read by historical fiction fans (and a film adaptation).

[Dar vieną puslapį · Rating 4 out of 5]

Šį kartą noriu papasakoti jums apie knygą, kurios istorija panaši kaip ir daugelio Baltų lankų leidžiamų knygų. Pamatai viršelį ir jau net nebesivargini skaityti anotacijos, nes žinai - turiu tai perskaityti. O be to, tema kaip niekad aktuali - liga, besimptomiai jos atvejai, ligos platinimas ir pan. Žodžiu, tai, ką kasdien girdime žiniose, atgyja šios knygos puslapiuose tik kitos ligos pavidalu ir ne šiomis dienomis. Tikra istorija. Tikra moteris.

"Šiltinė" mus nukelia į XXa pradžios Niujorką. Čia gyvena Merė, emigrantė iš Airijos, atvykusi ieškoti geresnio gyvenimo ir gal net įgyvendinti amerikietišką svajonę. Atkaklumas, tvirtas charakteris ir neeiliniai sugebėjimai virtuvėje ją atveda į aukštuomenės šeimų namus. Ji patikima, puikiai atlieka savo darbą ir gamina išskirtinius patiekalus, bet yra viena bėda - pati to nežinodama ši moteris per savo maistą platina vidurių šiltinę ir sėja mirtį aplink save. Merė turi pasitraukti į priverstinę izoliaciją. Ji netiki savo kaltumu, netiki ligos platinimu, juk simptomų nėra, ir yra pasiryžusi kovoti už savo teisę į pilnavertį gyvenimą. Kas vyksta toliau? Sužinosite perskaitę, bet pažadu, kad bus įdomu.

Knyga taip puikiai susišaukia su šių dienų aktualijomis, kad istorija tampa dar artimesnė. Visokie netikėjimai liga ir panašūs dalykai yra tai, kas šiandien ne mažiau aktualu. Šypsnį, o kartais ir pasipiktinimą, kelia tai, kad Merės istorija nėra šių dienų istoriją ir tai, kuo galima buvo netikėti tuomet, netikėti dabar yra mažų mažiausiai kvaila.

Imponavo autorės rašymo stilius. Kartais po visų įmantrybių taip norisi kažko paprasto. Čia būtent taip ir yra. Paprasta, malonu skaityti, bet ne banalu ar lėkšta. Grynas malonumas.

Knygos herojė Merė kelia dvejopus jausmus. Pirmiausia, žinoma, piktina, nes nepripažįsta to, kas akivaizdu ir užsispyrusiai siekia normalaus gyvenimo, kuris kartu reiškia tolesnį ligos platinimą. Iš kitos pusės, nori tu to ar ne, bet jungiesi prie jos palaikymo komandos. Kodėl? Merė - jėginė. Ji stipri, nepasiduodanti, įkvepianti ir net pralenkianti savo laikmetį: gyvena ne santuokoje, yra emacipuota ir pati kuria gyvenimo taisykles. Būtent šio tipažo moterų istorijos visuomet patraukia mano dėmesį ir verčia jomis žavėtis. Žinoma, nepamirškit ir įkvėpimo, kurio niekad nebus per daug.

Merė nuglūdinta iki menkiausių detalių. Sakyčiau, tobula savo netobulumu. Visi jos poelgiai, mintys nėra vienakrypčiai. Jie keičiasi, bet taip organiškai ir įtikinamai, kad net nesuabejoji jos tikrumu.

Kam skaityti? Tikrų istorijų, kuriose figūruoja stiprių moterų personažai, mylėtojams ši knyga privaloma. Gero skaitymo.

[Kellie O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up to 3.8 stars!
I have heard of Typhoid Mary years ago and I have seen a few documentaries on PBS. I thought that I knew all there was to know about her life, well I was wrong! This book brings Mary Mallon to life in a personal way that the documentaries didn't. Mary Beth Keane is a wonderful author. She has a way of writing that draws you in from the first page! The book spans Mary's years from 1883 to 1938.
I didn't know that Mary was from Ireland and came to America when she was 15 years old. I didn't know that she was a laundress before she became a cook. I never knew how she was apprehended, about her trial and conviction. I never heard that she was called The Germ Woman before she was called Typhoid Mary. There's much more that I didn't know or forgotten over all the years.
This story begins great and very compelling then about 39% through, it got tedious and repetitive. I don't like giving up on anything, including books, however I almost didn't finish it, but I stuck with it and I'm very glad that I did!! I would have missed so much!!
As a word of warning, there's some scenes and swears words that really don't need to be included in the book...it would have been better without them. That's why I couldn't give it a higher rating. Also, I was hoping to find out what part of Ireland she was from and about her life there. I was disappointed with that. It's a wonderful, compelling book and I really did enjoy learning about her! It's extremely well researched and I loved the letter in the back of the book that Mary wrote!! I always felt sorry for her and I still do, to a point. There's a lot that I know now that has changed my mind. People wonder if Mary was a convict or a person of circumstance and if she was treated fairly or not. Please keep in mind that Typhoid Fever was as common then as catching a cold. These answers may never be found.
Happy Reading and Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

[Galadrielė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Labai sunku atrasti ir paminėti kažką blogo. Man tai tobula knyga, nesvarbu, jog iki tol nieko nežinojau apie Šiltininkę Merę.

Pirmasis užfiksuotas atvejis Jungtinėse Amerikos Valstijose, kai žmogus pats nejausdamas simptomų platina ligą ir paskui save skleidžia mirties šleifą to net nežinodamas. Ir man to užteko, ypač kai šiuo metu vyrauja "karantininė atmosfera" ir nori nenori lygini esančią situaciją su tais laikais, kai medicina dar nebuvo taip pažengusi į priekį.

Merė - airė virėja, netekėjusi, bet gyvenanti su vyru, savarankiška ir užsispyrusi, savimi pasitikinti ir prieš nieką nesilankstanti. Įsivaizduojat, kaip tokiam žmogui sunku patikėti šiuo atveju maitvanagiais gydytojais ir mokslininkais, jog platina ligą, jog privalo karantinuotis atskiroje saloje, kurioje tik ligoninės kompleksas, medicinos darbuotojai ir lūšnelė, skirta jos apgyvendinimui. Kai kam tai pasirodytų priimtina - atskiras namelis, draugas sodininkas, nemokamas maistas ir apgyvendinimas, jokio darbo, ypač tuo metu, kai galą su galu sudurti tampa sudėtinga, nes esi iš neturtingos šeimos, tiksliau vienas kaip pirštas ne savo tėvynėje. Tačiau Merė užsispyrusi, jos virėjavimas jai teikia malonumą ir gerą algą, namie laukia sugyventinis, draugės, jos nuosavas butukas su puodais, keptuvėmis ir prikaistuviais. Ji netiki tuo, ką teigia daktarai. Ji nori laisvės.

Tobula knyga lėtam skaitymui. Rašymo stilius - neskubus, detalus lyg dokumentinė laida retkarčiais nukrypstanti į asmininę veikėjų erdvę ir mintis. Tiek iš Merės, tiek iš jos "vyro" perspektyvos. Knyga, paremta tikra istorija, mininti keletą istorinių faktų, kaip pavyzdžiui Titaniko statymas ir nuskendimas, kad ir menkas, bet įdomus susiejimas su pagrindiniu pasakojimu. Taip pat atskleidžia to laiko moters padėtį visuomenėje. Kartais kildavo pyktis, kartais užplūsdavo palaikimas Merei. Žodžiu, visa puokštė emocijų.

Labai rekomenduoju!

[Eglė (IG-atgimusi_meile_knygoms) · Rating 3 out of 5]

XXa pradžioje vyravo baisi liga vidurių šiltinė. Liga nusinešė ne vieną gyvybę. Merė Melon viena iš nedaugelio, kuri galėjo platinti ligą pati ja nesirgdama. Tai reali asmenybė ir knygoje pateikiama daug tikrų faktų.
Merė kaip dauguma norėjo pabėgti nuo skurdo ir bado, tad iš Airijos atsidūrė Amerikoje. Čia irgi jos gyvenimas nebuvo lengvas. Nors ir būdama užsispyrusi bei ryžtinga ir sunkiu darbu užsitarnauja gerbiamos virėjos vardą, tačiau dalį energijos ir jėgų paskyrė kovai su netinkamais žmonėmis. Todėl kai išaiškėja, kad paskui moterį driekiasi vidurių šiltinės banga, ji uždaroma izoliuotoje saloje. Niekas moteriai nėra linkęs padėti, dėl to visuomenei ji tampa ,, mirtį nešančia Mere", o gydytojas bandomasis triušis. Moteris sunkiai nori susitaikyti su tokiu gyvenimo etapu, ypač kai ji taip sunkiai kovojo.
Autorė rašydama knyga rėmėsi ir tikrais faktais. Datos, pagrindiniai gyvenimo įvykiai tikri. Net keletas knygoje minimų gydytojų taip pat buvo realūs žmonės. Merė buvo ne vienintelis žmogus platines šią ligą pati nesirgdama, bet kitiems neteko pajusti trempties į izoliuotą salą. Istorija tikrai neeilinė, nes rašyta apie tikrą asmenį, bet man pasijautė, kad knygoje viskas pateikta kiek paviršutiniškai. Norėjosi daugiau jausmo, daugiau emocijų, daugiau pačios Merės.