First published 2019
On March 6, 1900, Chinese immigrant Wong Chut King becomes the first bubonic plague victim on American soil. City officials immediately quarantine San Francisco's Chinatown, driven by racist beliefs rather than sound medical practice. Corrupt politicians work to hide the outbreak from the public, fearing economic disaster. Federal health officer Rupert Blue arrives to confront not just a deadly disease, but a web of prejudice and political interference that threatens to spread the contagion nationwide. Blue must navigate hostile local authorities, overcome scientific ignorance, and fight against time to prevent catastrophe. This account reveals how racism shaped public health responses and nearly allowed a medieval killer to gain a foothold in modern America. The story exposes the dangerous intersection of disease, discrimination, and political corruption in a city gripped by fear.
Genres: historical-fiction, medical, 20th-century, politics, non-fiction, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: corruption, prejudice
Setting: America, China, San Francisco
Period: 1900
282 pages · Kindle Edition · W. W. Norton & Company
Content warnings: racism