with an air of mayhem
Two unlikely heroes
battle a monstrous disease
History with the sweep and pace of a novel
In a Nutshell
After barely surviving the agony of smallpox, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu in London and surgeon Zabdiel Boylston of Boston were safely beyond its reach. Their children, however, were not. In 1721, Western medicine was helpless against “the speckled monster,” and Lady Mary and Dr. Boylston knew it. Turkish women and West Africans, however, practiced a perverse and terrifying method of prevention they swore by. No more than a handful of Europeans had the openness of mind to weigh the evidence and conclude that it just might work. Only Lady Mary and Dr. Boylston had the courage to try it.
As survivors, however, they could not test it on themselves. In the face of swelling epidemics, they had to risk the very people they were trying to save: their children.
Almost instantly, they found themselves at the center of a storm of controversy…
Reviews
A Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” Selection, Summer 2003
“For those who take their medicine with an air of mayhem.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Writing in a compelling, almost novelistic voice, Carrell details two 18th-century figures who struggled valiantly against smallpox. The disease becomes a character in the book, claiming the poor, the rich and the royal without distinction.”
—USA Today
“Highly engrossing…Carrell tells this gripping story with ardor and skill.”
—Smithsonian
“Carrell has brought smallpox back to life.”
—Tucson Weekly
“An outstanding medical thriller that both informs and inspires.”
—Booklist
“Carrell makes these historical figures come alive…A fascinating read.”
—Library Journal
Listen
All Things Considered, interview by Michele Norris, NPR, Nov. 6, 2003
The Diane Rehm Show, NPR, June 20, 2003
Excerpt
Introduction to The Speckled Monster
Reader's Guide
All About Smallpox
For those who want to know more about a monstrous disease [GRAPHIC PHOTOS]
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