For example, he explains how at the time, “no one had ever tried to pack nearly three million people inside a thirty mile circumference before,” so it was reasonable to assume that huge cities were simply unsustainable (Johnson 89). This is an unfamiliar concept for most modern readers, but it essential insight into one of the reasons that epidemics were so frightening— they could be the city’s way of self destructing. Johnson helps readers understand prevailing beliefs and attitudes and the reasons behind them, showing how decisions that seem ridiculous and ignorant in hindsight seemed logical at the time. This allows modern readers to better understand the past than a primary source document that draws on a set of beliefs and common knowledge that readers no longer share. By combining skillful storytelling with a comprehensive and thoughtful collection of facts, Johnson creates a unique, informative, and enthralling tale of a deadly epidemic and how it was stopped. The Ghost Map is truly a testament to the power of narrative to explain the
For example, he explains how at the time, “no one had ever tried to pack nearly three million people inside a thirty mile circumference before,” so it was reasonable to assume that huge cities were simply unsustainable (Johnson 89). This is an unfamiliar concept for most modern readers, but it essential insight into one of the reasons that epidemics were so frightening— they could be the city’s way of self destructing. Johnson helps readers understand prevailing beliefs and attitudes and the reasons behind them, showing how decisions that seem ridiculous and ignorant in hindsight seemed logical at the time. This allows modern readers to better understand the past than a primary source document that draws on a set of beliefs and common knowledge that readers no longer share. By combining skillful storytelling with a comprehensive and thoughtful collection of facts, Johnson creates a unique, informative, and enthralling tale of a deadly epidemic and how it was stopped. The Ghost Map is truly a testament to the power of narrative to explain the