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Pox

An American History

Michael Willrich

$59.99

Paperback

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English
The Penguin Press
27 March 2012
The untold story of how America's progressive-era war on

smallpox sparked one of the great civil liberties battles of the

twentieth century. At the turn of the last century, a smallpox epidemic swept the

United States from coast to coast. In this gripping account, award- winning historian Michael Willrich chronicles the government's fight

against the outbreak and the ensuing clash of modern medicine, civil

liberties, and state power. Pox introduces readers to memorable

characters on both sides of the debate-from the doctors and club- wielding police charged with enforcing the law to vaccinate every

citizen to the anti-vaccinationists, who stood up for their individual

freedoms but were often dismissed as misguided cranks. Riveting and

thoroughly researched, Pox delivers a masterful examination of

progressive-era history that resonates powerfully today.

The untold story of how America's progressive-era war on

smallpox sparked one of the great civil liberties battles of the

twentieth century. At the turn of the last century, a smallpox epidemic swept the

United States from coast to coast. In this gripping account, award- winning historian Michael Willrich chronicles the government's fight

against the outbreak and the ensuing clash of modern medicine, civil

liberties, and state power. Pox introduces readers to memorable

characters on both sides of the debate-from the doctors and club- wielding police charged with enforcing the law to vaccinate every

citizen to the anti-vaccinationists, who stood up for their individual

freedoms but were often dismissed as misguided cranks. Riveting and

thoroughly researched, Pox delivers a masterful examination of

progressive-era history that resonates powerfully today.
By:  
Imprint:   The Penguin Press
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 213mm,  Width: 140mm,  Spine: 24mm
Weight:   369g
ISBN:   9780143120780
ISBN 10:   0143120786
Pages:   432
Publication Date:  
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Michael Willrich is the award-winning author of City of Courts. He is an associate professor of history at Brandeis University and a former journalist who wrote for The Washington Monthly, City Paper, The New Republic, and other magazines. He lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Reviews for Pox: An American History

Willrich's account of the early days of the American progressive movement couldn't be more instructive or timely...a worthy read. - Booklist (starred review) Willrich melds meticulous research with elegant writing to create a richly- textured social history...at the charged intersection of science, politics, race, and culture...You'll never think the same way again about the now all-but- mechanical ritual of rolling up your shirtsleeve for a vaccine needle. -Hampton Sides, author of Hellhound on His Trail .. .In the highly skilled hands of Michael Willrich, hard cases make great history. We all have much to learn from this excellent book. -David Hackett Fischer, author of Champlain's Dream and Washington's Crossing A fascinating, fast-paced story of America's last major smallpox epidemic...This is history at its best written by a master of his craft. -Michael J. Klarman, author of From Jim Crow to Civil Rights Pox


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