Plague Books discussion

I'm going to crack open Doomsday Book once I've broken the back of the Dirty Washing pile.

Alice wrote: "I just started The Last of the Wine as I joined the group for Mary Renault and as the book opens many are dying from plague. Also, many of Norah Lofts books have mentioned of plague and we were ju..."

Hello there Alice - You have definately given me some ideas for my next book splurge *looks longingly at the du Maurier*

Sunshine to you and yours

Greetings, all. I'm a newbie in Boston. I just read An American Plague by Jim Murphy--about the 1792 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. How is it that I grew up in Philadelphia and never once heard about this??? And why on Earth did people volunteer to get yellow fever for medical research? This came later, in the 1800s. I also recently read Black Potatoes by Susan Campbell Bartoletti--about the Irish potato famine. It's not quite a plague book, but it has many similarities. Looking forward to plaguarizing with everyone....

Im listening to Katherine Swynford by Alison Weir and of course it is drenched in black death. How about the Decameron, has anyone recently read the plague descriptions in there? - it's a long while since I read that.

Ruth wrote: "Greetings, all. I'm a newbie in Boston. I just read An American Plague by Jim Murphy--about the 1792 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. How is it that I grew up in Philadelphia and never once h..."


ah-ha - I have just ordered this *rubs handies together in anticipation*

Alice wrote: "Thanks Bettie! We sure got sunshine here in my part of Colorado today. Which Du Maurier book is your favorite? I am thinking of starting a Du Maurier group in addition to NL. Would you like to ..."

Rebecca - who can resist Mrs Danvers? And further - who can resist Mts Danvers without remebering Jasper Fforde

Ooo, that An American Plague looks great. I'm stalling on an Updike book. This might be just what I need...

I just finished Blood Roses, an novel about the Black Plague in 14th century France. It's based around the character of Saint-Germain, a very long-lived, benevolent vampire who is frustrated that his attempts to help, based on his past experience with plagues, are met with fear and suspicion. (There are a lot of Saint-Germain novels, but this one could be read as a standalone book.)

I have Blood Roses in my piles. I read the first two St. Germain books and really enjoyed them.

I have Blood Roses in my piles

Hello Terri - that reads like a painful diagnosis. lol :O)

I finished At the Sign of the Sugared Plum a couple of days ago - a good young adult tale set in 1665 London.

I LOVED At the Sign of the Sugared Plum! There was another book by her in that series that was just a good too.

yes - you are right! somewhere in my TBR shelves I have the follow on book but for now, I shall clasp up this here copy of Lady Audley's Secret and seek out my truckle bed.

I'm so excited! This is enroute to me even as I tap this. Quammen is one of my favorite science writers and this book looks to be a doozie: Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen.

I haven't read it yet but this newly published novel is said to have a plague theme: Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman.

One I'm reading now (Duel with the Devil: The True Story of How Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr Teamed Up to Take on America's First Sensational Murder Mystery) starts with a very nasty epidemic of yellow fever in New York City, in the summer and autumn of 1799.

Where is everyone? Is no one reading plague books anymore?

Presently I'm reading Fever by Deon Meyer. Very good. The Fever wipes out 95% of the world's population and this story follows a community in South Africa trying to survive in a hostile post fever world. There are lots of flashbacks to the horrors of the Fever which satisfies the plague-ist in me.

(Sorry I don't know how to do the direct link thing with the title.)

I recommend The Pesthouse by Jim Crace:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...

Maria, I might try that book out. Just finished the audiobook for The Stand, for the second time. I've been looking for a plague book since.

I've just read Between Two Fires and really enjoyed it. So full of the plague horrors plus weird stuff with fallen angels lol. Couldn't put it down.

The Last Hours

Finished The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time a couple of weeks ago; very good.

The Pesthouse

The Strain I know it’s a vampire plague but a plague nevertheless. Actually it’s a good read. Would make a good movie funnily enough 😀

Just starting Fever 1793

The Last Town on Earth. This is about the 1918 flu epidemic. Beautifully written book.

Anyone else read any plague books recently? Or am I the only one? 😀

I've started The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History. So far it's a history of medical practice in the United States in the 19th century, with a side of referring to Johns Hopkins as "The Hopkins."

Just found this group! I love books about plague or any deadly disease!

Earlier this year I read Station Eleven, which is fiction that revolves around a flu that wipes out much of the population. If you liked The Pesthouse, I think you'd like this one!

catzkc wrote: "Just found this group! I love books about plague or any deadly disease!

Earlier this year I read Station Eleven, which is fiction that revolves around a flu that wipes out much of ..."

Read Station Eleven couple of years ago. Loved it

40% in and we're finally dealing with flu patients. That's a long wind-up.

Hello???!!!!
Is anyone even post in this group anymore?
Who is reading a really good book?

I'm still in. Just finished Quammen's Spillover.

I still watch this group for postings in case someone is reading a plague book I haven’t come across. And I add any I’ve read - that’s me above several times 🙂I’m reading a time travel book at the moment called The Shining Girls It’s good as long as I don’t try keeping the time slips straight in my head!

I am just finishing Between Two Fires. I have really liked it. I cannot decide what to read next though. Any thoughts? I will finish Between Two Fires tonight. :(

Loved “Station Eleven” as well. Someone back in this list mentioned an Alison Weir book (that I will read). I just read another one of hers that touched on the sweating sicknesses. Speculation of what it was (hanta virus) but not confirmed.) Will keep checking back here. Hi everyone!

Just started Richard Preston’s latest NF on Ebola - Crisis in the Red Zone: The Story of the Deadliest Ebola Outbreak in History, and of the Outbreaks to Come.

I just finished reading "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson. It was really good. It's a YA book but still worth the read. It's about the yellow fever in Philadelphia.

How about "adult" pandemic fiction. This one I love, with a virus that is scientifically sound (not some godthingformthesky). Typhoid Mary, Poz McBeefy
James Hoode

The coming plague

The hot Zone

Just finished reading . Great non-fiction book about diseases/plagues throughout history. Had some interesting material even about ones I was already familiar with, including some excellent social context

Plague Land YA book. Couldn’t put it down. Looking for the next one in the series!