Play Book Tag discussion

The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson - 4 stars - My Review

This book tells the true story of the London cholera epidemic in the 1850s and how Dr. John Snow and Reverend Henry Whitehead eventually teamed up to solve the mystery of how the disease is transmitted. At the time, it was believed to be spread via “miasma” (bad air) and putrid smells. Snow believed in the water-born theory where vibrio cholerae bacteria is transmitted by drinking contaminated water.

Dr. Snow mapped the progress of the disease, tracing cases and deaths, to find the source of the outbreak. His methods were scientific, but at the time, superstitions and prevailing theories were ingrained, and it was difficult to overcome the rigid thinking. In fact, one of the most enlightening aspects is observing how unproven speculations garner so much traction that evidence to the contrary is dismissed.

I particularly liked Steven Johnson’s vivid portrayal of London. The smell of cesspools and overflows of human waste into cellars must have been atrocious, and it is easy to see how the miasma theory originated. The scavenging hierarchy is fascinating.

A lengthy epilogue covers the future of urbanization and threats to it. The author advocates bringing advancements in infrastructure to developing countries to improve sanitation and provide clean drinking water. He also covers global pandemics (a particularly relevant topic, obviously), genomic advancements as applied to microbiology, and bioterrorism.

This audio book sounds like a documentary and will appeal to people that want a deep dive into a single science-related topic. It is read by Alan Sklar. He narrates smoothly and his voice has a deep timbre, which works well for this subject matter.