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Reviews
The Ghost Map: A Street, an Epidemic and the Hidden Power of Urban Networks by Steven Johnson
katiescho741's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars.
This is less a bout about a disease than it is a book about scientific investigation and data gathering.
The most interesting bit of the book, for me, was the starting couple of chapters which talk about the conditions of London during the period, and how diseases like cholera cropped up again and again. The descriptions of the living conditions are detailed and terrible, but it was interesting to read about the eco side of life too - the lives of the scavengers who collected rubbish to be sold and re-used instead of clogging up the street.
Not quite a history of cholera as I had hoped, but there is plenty of good information in this book. The second half was a bit boring to be honest though.
This is less a bout about a disease than it is a book about scientific investigation and data gathering.
The most interesting bit of the book, for me, was the starting couple of chapters which talk about the conditions of London during the period, and how diseases like cholera cropped up again and again. The descriptions of the living conditions are detailed and terrible, but it was interesting to read about the eco side of life too - the lives of the scavengers who collected rubbish to be sold and re-used instead of clogging up the street.
Not quite a history of cholera as I had hoped, but there is plenty of good information in this book. The second half was a bit boring to be honest though.
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.
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.
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.