Reviews

The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--And How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson

midwest_transplant's review against another edition

hopeful informative sad medium-paced

3.25

emily_gaynier's review against another edition

3.0

Oof
Page 32 kind of fucked me up

I read this for my geography class, so now I have to write a book report. But it was very good, if a little rambly.

steadi7's review against another edition

informative fast-paced

3.0

mborer23's review against another edition

3.0

The story of the cholera epidemic itself was very well written, but the book went on much longer than it should have. The last 30 pages in particular seemed to drag.

jungleboyreads's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

4.0

Sadly this was a class book

museumeg's review against another edition

I actually loved this book despite the fact that it was about a cholera epidemic and definitely had some parts that were not for the squeamish. I love nonfiction. Some of the best stories are true stories. But what I loved about this book was the eventual triumph of reason, teamwork, logic and science over superstition. Dr. John Snow and the Reverend Whitehead saved lives in their time and countless lives in the future because they were willing to work together and challenge their own biases to find the truth. I heard about this book from a NY Times list of books to read during the pandemic and I found it to be completely relevant.

spacetoread's review against another edition

informative mysterious medium-paced

4.5

4.5 stars. This was a pretty fascinating epidemiological/sociological/biological/urban history and human geography read. It flowed (ew) well and was easy to read, would highly recommend. The epilogue was pretty long winded and lost me a few times, but the book itself was interesting enough that i forgive that.

ekunes's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

zippz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.25

The narrative was excellent and the way he followed the lives of the different historically relevant people was incredibly engaging. I did feel that he reached a bit in some of his conclusions re: urbanization at the end, but overall a fascinating read.

janeevabaxter's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

5.0

A very engaging non-fiction work.