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Reviews
The Ghost Map: A Street, an Epidemic and the Hidden Power of Urban Networks by Steven Johnson
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.
mhugie2's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this was well written and informative. I liked how the author made it so anyone from any science background could read this. It was very interesting learning about some of the first epidemic mapping occurred.
rhi_'s review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Medical content and Classism
kieranhealy's review against another edition
5.0
I read this last year and it sure seems relevant now. Johnson tracks the heroics of two men, one a Doctor and the other a Reverend, while they try to figure out what is killing residents in London. It follows no real geographic bounds, class, age or gender. It kills horribly and indiscriminately. What is it, and how is it killing all these people?
This is a fantastic read. It is almost like a crime thriller where the killer is Cholera, and it’s a great introduction to basic epidemiology; how contact tracing works and is vital; public health outreach; etc. How we discover and contain diseases effectively can be partially traced to this moment in time, and it’s worth reading just for that alone. It is also just riveting.
Johnson does end it with some weird extrapolations and conclusions that haven’t born out well in reality, but up to that point the book is stellar.
This is a fantastic read. It is almost like a crime thriller where the killer is Cholera, and it’s a great introduction to basic epidemiology; how contact tracing works and is vital; public health outreach; etc. How we discover and contain diseases effectively can be partially traced to this moment in time, and it’s worth reading just for that alone. It is also just riveting.
Johnson does end it with some weird extrapolations and conclusions that haven’t born out well in reality, but up to that point the book is stellar.
sariene's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. The subject matter is perfectly up my alley, but this is just so poorly written that I couldn't enjoy it. The story he's ostensibly telling is a good one, and deserves a better treatment than it gets here. This telling is unfocused and mostly off-topic, not to mention that the author seems puffed up and writes in a much more grandiose and ostentatious tone than is necessary. Very disappointed.