Epidemics in History

A booklist for reading about epidemics in History.

Updated March 1, 2023
University of Victoria Libraries  Tina Bebbington, Anthropology and Newspaper Librarian, UVic Libraries
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
The ghost map : the story of London's most terrifying epidemic--and how it changed science, cities, and the modern world
Johnson, Steven
Paper Book
A National Bestseller, a New York Times Notable Book, and an Entertainment Weekly Best Book of the Year from the author of Extra Life   "By turns a medical thriller, detective story, and paean to city life, Johnson's account of the...
Spillover : animal infections and the next human pandemic
Quammen, David
Paper Book
The emergence of strange new diseases is a frightening problem that seems to be getting worse. In this age of speedy travel, it threatens a worldwide pandemic. We hear news reports of Ebola, SARS, AIDS, and something called Hendra killing horses and people in Australia--but those reports miss the...
Coronavirus Politics The Comparative Politics and Policy of COVID-19
Fonseca, Elize Massard da
Ebook
COVID-19 is the most significant global crisis of any of our lifetimes. The numbers have been stupefying, whether of infection and mortality, the scale of public health measures, or the economic consequences of shutdown. Coronavirus Politics identifies key threads in the global comparative...
Plagues & poxes : the impact of human history on epidemic disease
Bollet, Alfred J.
Ebook
"Since publication of the initial version of Plagues & Poxes in 1987, which had the optimistic subtitle "The Rise and Fall of Epidemic Disease," the rise of new diseases such as AIDS and the deliberate modification and weaponization of diseases such as anthrax have changed the way we perceive...
Epidemics and society from the Black Death to the present
Snowden, Frank M.
Ebook
Flu hunter unlocking the secrets of a virus
Webster, Robert G.
Ebook
When a new influenza virus emerges that is able to be transmitted between humans, it spreads globally as a pandemic, often with high mortality. Enormous social disruption and substantial economic cost can result. The 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic was undoubtedly the most devastating influenza...
Beasts of the earth : animals, humans, and disease
Torrey, E. Fuller
Paper Book
Humans have lived in close proximity to other animals for thousands of years. Recent scientific studies have even shown that the presence of animals has a positive effect on our physical and mental health. People with pets typically have lower blood pressure, show fewer symptoms of...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.