Black Death at the Golden Gate

A vivid, fast-paced and at times revolting history of the plague in San Francisco.... [Black Death at the Golden Gate] unfolds like a medical thriller. -- Julia Flynn Siler - Wall Street Journal The race to identify, isolate and halt the disease is set against a rich background of official complacency, financial malfeasance, political intrigues and scientific disputes.... Randall's account is pacy and gripping. -- Tilli Tansey - Nature A meticulously researched history that unfolds like a thriller. -- Mary Roach, New York Times best-selling author of Grunt A haunting detective tale packed with villains and heroes. -- Jason Fagone, author of the national bestseller The Woman Who Smashed Codes Black Death at the Golden Gate provides a fascinating glimpse into [a] forgotten chapter of American history.... Discrimination, bigotry, and greed are woven throughout this fast-paced, historical, non-fiction adventure.... This is a great read for anyone who enjoys history or medicine. -- Jennifer Melville - San Francisco Book Review A fascinating, in-depth look at a little-known episode in American history.... The story of the bubonic plague outbreak serves as an excellent lead-in for Randall to examine the advances that created modern cities. -- Shelf Awareness This story of an epidemic that wasn't is a gripping historical mystery and a key cautionary tale for our own time. -- Booklist A complex tale of medicine, politics, race, and public health.... [Randall] does good work in revealing the clamorous clash of public and private interests surrounding the outbreak.... A tale that resonates with the outbreak of measles, mumps, and other supposedly contained epidemics today. -- Kirkus Reviews David K. Randall is a spellbinding writer. He has turned a critical chapter of medical history into a riveting tale that reads like a detective novel, chock-full of scandals and intrigue.... Read Black Death at the Golden Gate because it's a page-turner, but more important, read this book because the issues Randall spotlights resonate today. -- Randi Hutter Epstein, author of Aroused