People of the Plague

Reviewed by: Karen Sandlin Silverman - Scarborough High School, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 12, 2015

Review

Another entry in Anderson's Horrors of History series, People of the Plague is a fictionalized account of the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918. Set in Philadelphia against a backdrop of world war, Anderson follows the lives of three children from the tenements of South Philadelphia, seminary students who helped with burials, and Dr. Krusen, head of Philadelphia's health department, as they dealt with the fast-moving epidemic and the massive casualties. The cover might lead readers to think this is non-fiction - perhaps the word "novel"? should be more prominent. Illustrated with black-and-white photos. While this fictionalized account is well-written and well-researched, the lack of bibliography is unfortunate. The author's note does mention sources but the story is so compelling it cries out for a "for further reading" list.

Overall Book Score: very good