The Great Shadow
A History of How Sickness Shapes What We Do, Think, Believe, and Buy

Quotes

Praise for The Great Shadow

"[Bauer] emphasizes that contagious diseases make us more than just physically sick. Illness also impacts our attitudes, emotions, and behavior. Irrationality, paranoia, and scapegoating are sometimes triggered by fear of exposure to communicable diseases."
—Booklist

"Engrossing. A timely reminder of the resilience, ingenuity, and persistent hope that have allowed us to endure and sometimes even overcome the threat of disease."
—Rana Awdish, MD FACP FCCP, clinical professor, MSU College of Human Medicine, author of In Shock

"Eye opening, timely, and unexpectedly entertaining, The Great Shadow tells a vivid story about sickness and our responses to it, from ancient times until the last decade. In doing so, Susan Wise Bauer illuminates the roots of today’s anti-science and anti-reason movements—and also points out the ways in which we should be cautious of received wisdom."
—Dr. Leana Wen, Washington Post contributing columnist and author of Lifelines

"The right book at the right time. Susan Wise Bauer is a skillful historian, whose powers of story-telling make this book a page-turner. Bauer offers much-needed context to the centuries old scientific and philosophical discussions of how to protect human beings from sickness. Those who participate in debates about global contagion, vaccines, public health, wellness culture, and modern medicine would benefit from this deep dive that investigates facts, fears, superstitions, and scientific research. Highly recommended!"
—Julie Bogart, Creator and Owner, Brave Writer

"In her fantastic new book, The Great Shadow, Bauer guides the reader on an empathetic yet chilling journey into what it means to be human in a world affected by contagion. From the Sumerians and Babylonians four thousand years ago, who attributed sickness to demons, to Hippocrates's theory of unbalanced humours, and finally, to the discovery of bacteria and our battle against infection, I was spellbound."
—Lydia Reeder, award-winning author of The Cure for Women

"A riveting and thought-provoking exploration of how humans have sought to understand illness—from a banal sniffle to the horror of suddenly peeling flesh—across centuries. Bauer vividly recounts our attempts to grapple with the unspeakable and, for much of history, the unknowable. As our perceptions of the invisible forces behind sickness have evolved, so too have they profoundly shaped society. Both timeless and timely, The Great Shadow feels especially prescient and powerful today—and a must-read!"
—Paulina Bren, author of She-Wolves: The Untold History of Women on Wall Street and The Barbizon: The Hotel that Set Women Free


Praise for Susan Wise Bauer

“Thorough and pragmatic.” —The New Yorker

"A canny narrative. Ms. Bauer’s guidebook exposes the underlying meaning and significance of each work.” —Wall Street Journal

“[A]n engaging, sophisticated and wholly persuasive account.” —Financial Times

“Bauer’s elegant prose and her command of much of the material makes this a wonderful starting point.”—Publishers Weekly

“Bauer parlays her capacious knowledge of history..." —Booklist

"Bauer has crafted a timeless, intelligent book.” —Publishers Weekly

“Bauer is a skilled analyst of political rhetoric. She is also a terrific writer.” —Christianity Today

“A bright, informative resource.” —Kirkus Reviews