This was a very interesting read, but it was also very difficult to follow. The lack of chapters, meandering streams of thought, and repetition caused me to skim large chunks of the book. Being a first of it's kind, that was to be expected.

It was interesting to see how they tried to contain the outbreak and how the government reacted to it. The book also shed some light on how the general public's mental health would be affected by something of this magnitude. This was one of my favorite passages in the book....

"a near View of Death would soon reconcile Men of good Priciples one to another, and that it is chiefly owing to our easy Scituation in Life, and our putting these Things far from us, that our Breaches are formented, ill Blood continued, Prejudices, Breach of Charity and of Christian Union so much kept and so far carry'd on among us, as it is: Another Plague Year would reconcile all these Differences, a close conversing with Death, or the Diseases that threaten Death, would scum off the Gall from our Tempers, remove the Animosities among us, and bring us to see with differing Eyes, than those which we look'd on Things with before;"

Love that random capitalization! A close walk with Death tends make people realize when they have been petty and stupid.

I also enjoyed his passages about the 'quacks' and 'magicians' that were willing and ready to sell their fake remedies.

Good book overall. Lots of insight.