In the Wake of the Plague

This was one of those books that caught my eye while on an unassuming table near the entrance of a book store. It appeared to be fairly easy reading, of a fairly short length, on a fairly interesting topic, so I thought that it would be only fair to buy it and read it.

How do I feel about it now? After I shelled out the money and invested my precious time into reading it? I suppose I'm not complaining too much, since I've found someone to give it to and won't have to live with it taking up valuable shelf space or sitting in the donation pile. If I'd known then what I know now, however, I'd have lobbied for a smaller time investment to be sure.

I like history. I love books. This fell nicely into both of those categories. This book has made me realize that I also highly value a good editor. In fact, next time I raise my wine glass to make a toast, it may very well be applauding the world's finest editors, to whom I'm now aware I owe a debt of gratitude. It's unfortunate that the publisher of this book was unable to hire one of those editors, but spending the $ on a prime selling location at local bookstores probably paid off better when all is said and done.

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. The Black Death is currently largely blamed on bubonic plague carried by rats, accompanied by anthrax spread by cattle. These diseases, like most, may have originated in Africa or outer space.

Read the reviews on Amazon. I wish I had.