The Ghost Map - Steven Johnson

A book club book that for some reason I was convinced was the book for November - since I skipped October. But it is actually for December! I'll probably read it again closer to the meeting. Yes, it was that good. I would be willing to read it again in the next 2 months. Ok, I might not read the final 2 chapters again...

The Ghost Map is about the investigation into the spread of cholera in London during the 2nd to last outbreak. It describes London in the mid 19th century and then moves on to the epidemic and resulting investigation I was fascinated by the description of London overcrowding and how many more people per square acre lived in London then than live in NYC today. The sections dealing with the outbreak and investigation were well written and engaging.

However, the final 2 chapters were difficult for me to get through. One chapter talks about the spread of disease today and the other tends to focus on urbanization and terrorism. While the author made interesting points, I wish he had done so in a more concise manner.

I enjoyed this book and will read it again. I will either add it to the library or include it in the package when I return "A Perfect Red" to the east coast.