Reading a book on the Plague-the Great Mortality by Kelly. It's sensationalist, and a bit too focused on the (admittedly fascinating) drama of the period, and I don't think there's really been enough of an in-depth picture at the actual experience of having the plague yet, but it still is terrifying enough that I'm pretty sure this was the worst period in human history. I can't even imagine the scale of the suffering, and all of the different forms of the disease-bubonic, septicemic, pneumonic-seem almost equally terrifying. I couldn't imagine living with the disease for more than a few hours, and I'm really surprised there weren't more mass suicides on the onset of symptoms.
Anyone know any other books on the subject? Also interested in something on Syphilis.
Distant Mirror?
Books, books on the Plague...
Nope, haven't read a book on the plague in years.
Not the time period you are looking for but Justinian's Flea was a good read on the impact of plague on the Byzanteens.
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 30, 2012, 12:12:12 PM
Not the time period you are looking for but Justinian's Flea was a good read on the impact of plague on the Byzanteens.
Pretty sure no Byzanteen has ever died to a plague. NOt even in the shitty Balkan countries alot of them live in.
The Plague of Justinian was smallbox I believe. It sounds like he is looking for info on the Black Death.
Here is your chance to learn something on Languish.
QuoteThe Emperor Justinian reunified Rome's fractured empire by defeating the Goths and Vandals who had separated Italy, Spain, and North Africa from imperial rule. In his capital at Constantinople he built the world's most beautiful building, married its most powerful empress, and wrote its most enduring legal code, seemingly restoring Rome's fortunes for the next five hundred years. Then, in the summer of 542, he encountered a flea. The ensuing outbreak of bubonic plague killed five thousand people a day in Constantinople and nearly killed Justinian himself.
In Justinian's Flea, William Rosen tells the story of history's first pandemic—a plague seven centuries before the Black Death that killed tens of millions, devastated the empires of Persia and Rome, left a path of victims from Ireland to Iraq, and opened the way for the armies of Islam. Weaving together evolutionary microbiology, economics, military strategy, ecology, and ancient and modern medicine, Rosen offers a sweeping narrative of one of the great hinge moments in history, one that will appeal to readers of John Kelly's The Great Mortality, John Barry's The Great Influenza, and Jared Diamond's Collapse.
http://www.amazon.com/Justinians-Flea-Plague-Empire-Europe/dp/0670038555
He could not have held on to the West. Even with Belisarius. And I'ev read that the wars nearly depopulated Italy.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 30, 2012, 12:32:42 PM
He could not have held on to the West. Even with Belisarius. And I'ev read that the wars nearly depopulated Italy.
Says the guy who thought there was no plague... :P
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 30, 2012, 12:34:14 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 30, 2012, 12:32:42 PM
He could not have held on to the West. Even with Belisarius. And I'ev read that the wars nearly depopulated Italy.
Says the guy who thought there was no plague... :P
"Plague" is inclusive. As long as smallbox is a virulent and dangerous disease he's fine.
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 30, 2012, 12:34:14 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 30, 2012, 12:32:42 PM
He could not have held on to the West. Even with Belisarius. And I'ev read that the wars nearly depopulated Italy.
Says the guy who thought there was no plague... :P
I said there was a p;lague. I had thought it was smallbox, not the bubonic plague.
I was wrong. :(
Quote from: Queequeg on August 27, 2012, 12:47:52 AM
Anyone know any other books on the subject? Also interested in something on Syphilis.
I hope you're not self-medicating.
Quote from: Queequeg on August 27, 2012, 12:47:52 AM
Reading a book on the Plague-the Great Mortality by Kelly. It's sensationalist, and a bit too focused on the (admittedly fascinating) drama of the period, and I don't think there's really been enough of an in-depth picture at the actual experience of having the plague yet, but it still is terrifying enough that I'm pretty sure this was the worst period in human history. I can't even imagine the scale of the suffering, and all of the different forms of the disease-bubonic, septicemic, pneumonic-seem almost equally terrifying. I couldn't imagine living with the disease for more than a few hours, and I'm really surprised there weren't more mass suicides on the onset of symptoms.
Pretty sure 16th century North America would be worse what with the mortality rates of 70-90% obliterating entire nations.
Damn good point Timmy. :hmm:
I concur.
I concede that it was. My thinking was Eurocentric.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 31, 2012, 07:10:17 AM
Quote from: Queequeg on August 27, 2012, 12:47:52 AM
Reading a book on the Plague-the Great Mortality by Kelly. It's sensationalist, and a bit too focused on the (admittedly fascinating) drama of the period, and I don't think there's really been enough of an in-depth picture at the actual experience of having the plague yet, but it still is terrifying enough that I'm pretty sure this was the worst period in human history. I can't even imagine the scale of the suffering, and all of the different forms of the disease-bubonic, septicemic, pneumonic-seem almost equally terrifying. I couldn't imagine living with the disease for more than a few hours, and I'm really surprised there weren't more mass suicides on the onset of symptoms.
Pretty sure 16th century North America would be worse what with the mortality rates of 70-90% obliterating entire nations.
At least North American Indians had blankets to keep themselves comfortable once they fell sick.
Just read Distant Mirror.
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3742281
I'll be here all week. Try the veal!
Quote from: Ed Anger on September 02, 2012, 09:51:24 AM
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3742281
I'll be here all week. Try the veal!
Those aren't books.
Quote from: The Brain on September 02, 2012, 09:54:58 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on September 02, 2012, 09:51:24 AM
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3742281
I'll be here all week. Try the veal!
Those aren't books.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_mJ4lc_Q9Q6k%2FST1VbTSTwmI%2FAAAAAAAAS_k%2FMfnNGbMrH7o%2Fs400%2F01FoghornSmacksDog8antic.jpg&hash=5b441ac7c2ff90580f806d4c85289640429df790)