Avibrantculturalhistoryinvestigatingpandemicsandvaccines,bybestsellingauthorandhistorianSimonSchamaCitiesandcountriesengulfedbypanicanddeath,desperateforvaccinesbutfearfulofwhatinoculationmaybring.ThisiswhattheworldhasjustgonethroughwithCovid-19.ButasSimonSchamashowsinhisepichistoryofvulnerablehumanitycaughtbetweentheterrorofcontagionandtheingenuityofscience,ithashappenedbefore.Characteristically,Schama’smessageisdeliveredthroughgripping,page-turningstoriessetintheeighteenthandnineteenthcenturies:smallpoxstrikesLondon;cholerahitsParis;plaguecomestoIndia.Threadingthroughthescenesofterror,sufferingandhope-inhospitalsandprisons,palaces,andslums-areanunforgettablecastofcharacters:aphilosopher-playwrightburningupwithsmallpoxinacountrychateau;avaccinatingdoctorpayinghousecallsinHalifax;awomandoctorinsouthIndiadrivingherinoculator-carriagethroughthestrickenstreetsasdeadmonkeysdropfromthetrees.Butwearealsointhelabswhengreat,life-savingbreakthroughshappen,inParis,HongKong,andMumbai.Attheheartofitallisanunsunghero:WaldemarHaffkine,agun-totingJewishstudentinOdesaturnedmicrobiologistatthePasteurInstitute,hailedinEnglandas“thesaviourofmankind“forvaccinatingmillionsagainstcholeraandbubonicplagueinBritishIndiawhilebeingcold-shoulderedbythemedicalestablishmentoftheRaj.Creatoroftheworld’sfirstmassproductionlineofvaccinesinMumbai,heistragicallybroughtdowninanactofshockinginjustice.ForeignBodiescrossesbordersbetweeneastandwest,AsiaandEurope,theworldsofrichandpoor,politicsandscience.Itsthrillingstorycarrieswithitthecredoofitsauthorontheinterconnectednessofhumanityandnature;ofthepowerfulandthepeople.Ultimately,Schamasays,aswefacethechallengesofourtimestogether,“therearenoforeigners,onlyfamiliars.“
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