In 1793 Philadelphia, fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook works in her family’s coffeehouse, dreaming of future expansion. Her aspirations vanish when a yellow fever epidemic sweeps through the city, killing thousands. Mattie flees with her grandfather but is soon stranded in the countryside, suffering from the infection herself. Upon returning to the city, she finds it abandoned by the wealthy and ravaged by looters. She must navigate a landscape of mass graves and food shortages while caring for an orphaned child and working with the Free African Society to nurse the dying.
Students and historical fiction enthusiasts read this book to understand the medical limitations and social breakdown of the Early Republic. It provides a detailed account of eighteenth-century healthcare practices, including bloodletting and the debate over the French cure. Readers walk away with a clear picture of how a major American city functioned under extreme duress. The narrative offers a specific look at the courageous role of Black citizens during the crisis and the practical realities of survival when civil order collapses.
Clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2000
- Language
- EN
