First published 2001
Mary Mallon, an Irish immigrant in early 1900s New York, works as a cook. Unbeknownst to her, she carries the deadly typhoid virus, infecting families one by one. Health officials hunt Mallon, fearing an epidemic. When confronted, she refuses to stop working, valuing her independence over the lives at risk. Authorities forcibly quarantine Mallon, sparking a battle of wills as she fights to regain her freedom. At its core, this is the story of one woman's refusal to submit to a system that seeks to control her body and movement. Typhoid Mary reveals the complex personal and public stakes when individual liberty collides with public health.
Genres: historical-fiction, medical, 20th-century, social-issues, biography-memoir
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: based-on-true-events, woman-vs-system
Setting: New York, New York (State)
160 pages · Paperback · Bloomsbury Publishing
Content warnings: medical-trauma