1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Murphy, Jim. 2003. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395776082
2. PLOT SUMMARY
It is August 3, 1793 and the streets of Philadelphia are filled with a foul stench. Cats lay dead on the streets and an unusually large number of people are dying fast. The air is buzzing with an abnormal amount of mosquitoes while an unknown disease is quickly becoming an epidemic of enormous proportions. In 1793 Philadelphia served as the capital for the United States of America. It was a busy city with merchants, ship owners, commerce, politics, and daily life. Very few people seemed take notice of the unusual happenings in and around the city with the exception of Dr. Rush and Rev. Helmuth. They both sensed something was very wrong. An American Plague by Jim Murphy is the true and horrifying account of the yellow fever that plagued our nation’s capital.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jim Murphy discloses a riveting account of the happenings in Philadelphia during the yellow fever outbreak of 1793. He offers detailed and accurate accounts of the struggles people faced in light of this disease. Murphy discloses the gruesome facts of how this illness took the lives of its victims. He notes the folklore superstitions of the time such as a meteorite falling from the sky indicating a “bad sign” and that the “worst was yet to come.” As you read through this book Murphy conveys an extraordinary feel for all the happenings in and around the city. Murphy enlightens his readers as to the problems the politicians were facing. He chose words that imparted images of foul smells surrounding the city and exposed just how deplorable the sanitary situation was. He reveals the turmoil between the doctors and their choices in caring for their patients. Murphy then goes on to divulge the painful deaths, the imminent need to care for the sick, revealing the problems with burying the dead, and noted the heroic acts of a few brave men and women who stood up and took charge of this dreadful malign that had overtaken their city. At the back of the book Murphy offers verbal access features with lists of his sources as well as personal comments. Throughout the book Murphy submitted visual access features with black and white illustrations, maps, notes, newspaper clippings, and lists of the dead. Although color photographs would have been nice to see, the black and white photos offer a historically visual understanding of how dreadful the syndrome truly was. Murphy was able to capture the fear, panic, and mystery of this disease. He leaves the reader with a grim realization that we as a society today are not too far off from this possibility occurring again.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Boston Globe Horn Book Award
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
James Madison Book Award
A National Book Award Finalist
Obis Pictus Award
Newbery Honor Book
Booklist: History, science, politics, and public health come together in this dramatic account of the disastrous yellow fever epidemic that his the nation’s capital more than 200 years ago.
Horn Book: Thoroughly documented, with an annotated source list, the work is both rigorous and inviting.
Kirkus Review: A mesmerizing, macabre account that will make readers happy they live in the 21st century.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Organize a “did you know?” poster about yellow fever.
* Research and scrapbook one highlighted person in the book such as Dr. Rush or the Free African Society.
*Compare and contrast two non-fictions books by Jim Murphy.
Other related books:
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever1793. ISBN 0689848919
Murphy, Jim. The Great Fire. ISBN 0439203074
Murphy, Jim. Blizzard!: The Storm That Changed America. ISBN 0590673106
Murphy, Jim. 2003. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395776082
2. PLOT SUMMARY
It is August 3, 1793 and the streets of Philadelphia are filled with a foul stench. Cats lay dead on the streets and an unusually large number of people are dying fast. The air is buzzing with an abnormal amount of mosquitoes while an unknown disease is quickly becoming an epidemic of enormous proportions. In 1793 Philadelphia served as the capital for the United States of America. It was a busy city with merchants, ship owners, commerce, politics, and daily life. Very few people seemed take notice of the unusual happenings in and around the city with the exception of Dr. Rush and Rev. Helmuth. They both sensed something was very wrong. An American Plague by Jim Murphy is the true and horrifying account of the yellow fever that plagued our nation’s capital.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Jim Murphy discloses a riveting account of the happenings in Philadelphia during the yellow fever outbreak of 1793. He offers detailed and accurate accounts of the struggles people faced in light of this disease. Murphy discloses the gruesome facts of how this illness took the lives of its victims. He notes the folklore superstitions of the time such as a meteorite falling from the sky indicating a “bad sign” and that the “worst was yet to come.” As you read through this book Murphy conveys an extraordinary feel for all the happenings in and around the city. Murphy enlightens his readers as to the problems the politicians were facing. He chose words that imparted images of foul smells surrounding the city and exposed just how deplorable the sanitary situation was. He reveals the turmoil between the doctors and their choices in caring for their patients. Murphy then goes on to divulge the painful deaths, the imminent need to care for the sick, revealing the problems with burying the dead, and noted the heroic acts of a few brave men and women who stood up and took charge of this dreadful malign that had overtaken their city. At the back of the book Murphy offers verbal access features with lists of his sources as well as personal comments. Throughout the book Murphy submitted visual access features with black and white illustrations, maps, notes, newspaper clippings, and lists of the dead. Although color photographs would have been nice to see, the black and white photos offer a historically visual understanding of how dreadful the syndrome truly was. Murphy was able to capture the fear, panic, and mystery of this disease. He leaves the reader with a grim realization that we as a society today are not too far off from this possibility occurring again.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Boston Globe Horn Book Award
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
James Madison Book Award
A National Book Award Finalist
Obis Pictus Award
Newbery Honor Book
Booklist: History, science, politics, and public health come together in this dramatic account of the disastrous yellow fever epidemic that his the nation’s capital more than 200 years ago.
Horn Book: Thoroughly documented, with an annotated source list, the work is both rigorous and inviting.
Kirkus Review: A mesmerizing, macabre account that will make readers happy they live in the 21st century.
5. CONNECTIONS
*Organize a “did you know?” poster about yellow fever.
* Research and scrapbook one highlighted person in the book such as Dr. Rush or the Free African Society.
*Compare and contrast two non-fictions books by Jim Murphy.
Other related books:
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever1793. ISBN 0689848919
Murphy, Jim. The Great Fire. ISBN 0439203074
Murphy, Jim. Blizzard!: The Storm That Changed America. ISBN 0590673106
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