Plague

by William G. Naphy, Andrew Spicer

The Black Death first hit Europe in 1347, ripping through towns, villages, and families. Men, women, children, young and old succumbed to a painful, drawn-out death as pustules, abscesses, and boils erupted all over their bodies. Subsequent attacks of the disease, coming almost every decade, so limited the population that it was not until the 18th century that it managed to surpass the levels of the 1340s. For over 300 years, Europeans were stalked by death. In the end, this mysterious disease that had terrorized, terrified, and killed millions, disappeared as inexplicably as it had appeared.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medicine

248 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Professor Naphy received his doctorate (in Reformation History) from the University of St Andrews in 1993. He was appointed a lecturer at the University of Manchester in 1993 and, in 1996, at Aberdeen where he was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1999. He was awarded a personal chair in 2007. He is the author of six books with translations into six languages (including an up-coming translation into Bosnian for an NGO raising awareness of homosexuality in Bosnia) as well as numerous edited volumes and articles in scholarly journals.

Reviews

[Tuuli Hypén · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good overview on how plague swept over medieval Europe. The book does not linger on grisly details. Instead, it illuminates, for example, how people tried to understand the cause and nature of plague, how they reacted to it in regards to their religious beliefs, and what was the monetary cost of trying to prevent plague.

The statistics were interesting, also partly confusing. I must admit that for the first time in my life I felt the urge to vandalize a book and glue a few pages together: There was a section that described how many people died of black death in London. Week after week, the numbers seemed ridiculously high. After six pages or so the author casually mentions that the numbers were altered "to present the scale of the epidemic in a modern setting". Altered numbers! Yeah, that explains how a city of 500.000 people suffered 1.8 million deaths.

[Bertrand · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a bit of a compulsive buyer when it comes to book: although I have drastically restrained myself in the past few years, there was a time when I would buy all sorts of books on all kinds of odd and disparate subjects, which I most often end up just skimming through: but this time, lo and behold, I was looking online for a book on the plague after my reading of Manzoni, when I realized I actually already owned the book I was about to buy! I am not sure this will suffice to redeem me from those years of wishful consumerism, but he! it did feel good.
Naphy seems to be somewhat of an figure-head in that most interdisciplinary field that is plague history: however this one book is clearly aimed at the (very) general public, a 180 pages overview of the virus, stretching from the medieval black death to that of XVIIIth century Marseilles. There are no notes, a small bibliography, and the author covers social, cultural and political/institutional responses to the epidemics, but stay well clear of medical or scientific history. It does what it says on the tin, really, a general overview of the problem, without the author risking too much of an interpretation of his own for most of the text:
However his conclusion, emphasizing the deep kinship ties between the fear of epidemics and the persecution of minorities (Jews, lepers, vagrants...) does question the distinction between modern "biological" and pre-modern "cultural/religious" racism : minorities seem to have always been seen as an "infection" of the body-politic, whether metaphorically or literally.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely interesting read here: epidemic disease before the Black Death, its impact on society, the Dance of Death, understanding and regulating plague, the role of prostitution, endemic plague 1500-1700, The Great London Plague in 1665 and reasons why it might have been the last outbreak, The Marseilles Plague 1720, Death's many faces with other plagues (e.g. leprosy) and the legacy of the Plague. So many fascinating illustrations inside. Definitely a major book on the subject. Highly recommended!

[Jaymee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview but becomes a bit dragging because of all the statistics and for stating the obvious way too much (a whole paragraph also managed to reword just one sentence). Has good amount of researched material but focuses on particular things that most likely interest the authors while glossing over important details and explanations.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good insight on different aspects and focal points from the start of the black death in Europe

[Carla Krueger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, well-researched book full of information I did not know – like the fact that the “Plague” isn’t exactly the same thing as the “Black Death” and that it probably wasn’t caused by the microbe we initially believed to be the culprit. I particularly enjoyed chapter 2, describing how magistrates were the first people to properly comprehend the contagious nature of the disease and how their desperation to manage its transmission throughout Europe led to the recording of births and deaths and the start of death certificates. The idea that the officials wanted to halt the "contagious" spread of disobedient ideas to stifle the contagious medical epidemic is fascinating. They believed God was angry with disobedient people and that's why he was punishing them.

In his "Death's Finale" chapter, one of my favourite sections of the book, the author takes us on a journey through plague infested London, describing the bizarre ways the authorities tried to reduce the miasma. (One was to open all the cesspools in the hope the disgusting stench would overwhelm the plague!) It was a time when the people in charge were still confused about what really caused the disease and, more importantly, spread it. They genuinely thought it could cause "fornication, uncleanliness, inordinate affections, lust, covetousness and idolatry."

The wealthy and poor divide was evident, too. Some reports even suggest poor people invading the homes of the wealthy because they knew there was a correlation between being rich and not getting ill. It’s a book that will make you think and is a must read for anyone interested in history or medicine.

[Eric Pecile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent general narrative about European plagues in the predmodern period. While good social analysis of the plague and it's effects is present, in depth investigation into the disease itself is lacking. Plague is used as an umbrella term without differentiation between disease types. More scientific analysis would greatly benefit the book. As such, it is best used as a narrative source rather than a critical historical piece.