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Susan Scott

Return of the Black Death: The World's Greatest Serial Killer Hardcover – June 7, 2004

by Susan Scott (Author), Christopher J. Duncan (Author)

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If the twenty-first century seems an unlikely stage for the return of a 14th-century killer, the authors of Return of the Black Death argue that the plague, which vanquished half of Europe, has only lain dormant, waiting to emerge again—perhaps, in another form. At the heart of their chilling scenario is their contention that the plague was spread by direct human contact (not from rat fleas) and was, in fact, a virus perhaps similar to AIDS and Ebola. Noting the periodic occurrence of plagues throughout history, the authors predict its inevitable re-emergence sometime in the future, transformed by mass mobility and bioterrorism into an even more devastating killer.

Print length

318 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Wiley
Publication date

June 7, 2004
Dimensions

5.55 x 1.16 x 8.8 inches
ISBN-10

0470090006
ISBN-13

978-0470090008
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“… a piece of astonishing medical detective work…” (Observer, 16 May 2004)

“… a good account of the history of the three great plagues.” (Nature, 8^th July 2004)

“… a compelling read…” (NewScientist.com, July 2004)

“Using documents of unimaginably diverse provenance, Susan Scott and Christopher Duncan assume the role of ‘plague detectives’.” (The Lancet, July 2004)

“…a compelling read…” (New Scientist, July 04)

“…humour, accessible style and gripping disgust-factor…well written…a rare achivement…” (Lancet, July 04)

From the Inside Flap

The Black Death appeared out of the blue in Sicily in 1347 and moved swiftly on to kill half of Europe in three years. Once the plague had established a stronghold in France it continued to terrorize the continent for another three centuries. London's Great Plague of 1665-66, which claimed 6000 lives a week at its height, was its last great strike. A few years later it disappeared as suddenly and mysteriously as it had appeared. Susan Scott and Christopher Duncan uncover the tragic and moving human stories behind the records: unsung heroes, bereaved parents, parted lovers and those who exploited the suffering of others for their own greed. They also trace the origins of this lethal disease, through possible earlier outbreaks in classical times back to its animal hosts in Africa. Here it remains but there is no reason to believe it has gone for good.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wiley; 1st edition (June 7, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0470090006
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0470090008
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.13 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.55 x 1.16 x 8.8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,093,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,134 in Forensic Medicine (Books)
- #108,147 in World History (Books)
- #325,737 in Health, Fitness & Dieting (Books)

Customer Reviews:
42 ratings

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3 star		4%
2 star		5%
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Laura

Frustrating read

Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2011

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I had high expectations for this book. I am interested in the "black Death" mystery, and thought this book would be just the thing. However, I was disappointed by contradictory examples, seemingly mixed up chapter order and no references what so ever.

First, most of the book is basically a recital of cities and dates and deaths, though in many examples the authors say the numbers were "probably" exaggerated. The authors use phrases like that a lot - "probably" and "almost certainly" and "presumably" and "must have" in place of real evidence or references. As in the ship "most certainly" landed in such-a-such harbor, and it "probably" brought the infection . . . Well, did it or didn't it? What documentation or historical accounts give evidence of this? Or even hint at it? When I see phrases like that and no evidence or reference sited it makes me skeptical of the validity of the claim. I don't know whether or not that is the case with this book, but without references, I can't really say.

As for the seemingly mixed up chapters, I honestly wondered if my Kindle version had gotten mixed up somehow. One chapter will end with the question "what have we learned about this disease?" and so I'd think the next chapter (finally) would be getting into the real meat of the matter, only to find in the next chapter yet more references of cities and dates and death rates. Then, I read a question something like (remembering from memory) "Did England escaped the plague on its stronghold island", but in previous chapters there had been many examples already given of the plague and deaths in England . . .

Another thing I always find rather distasteful is when authors try to discredit other authors' works, saying, I'm right and you are SOOOO wrong!! The authors of this book did just that, stating clearly the title of the book and the author by name, being condescending and sarcastic. They disparage this book and author on the grounds that the other author argues that the plague was carried by rats and fleas, making the comment that, as usual, the people of the time period obviously knew it was a person to person contagion. They keep harping on that, saying that the people of the time knew it was contagious. But, in the very next sentence describing how the people thought it was inflicted by sorcerers and Jews and spread by foul odors and "humors" and that these evil doers were routinely sought out, tortured and executed. The authors also make the claim that the plague couldn't possibly have been caused by rats and/or fleas as others have claimed. I can't say one way or the other what the plague was or how it was transported, I'm not an expert, but I can say the authors of this book did nothing to convince me of their theories, while other books that argue for opposite theories (theories these authors try to discredit) are better written and referenced and far more convincing. As a reader, the more convincingly argued and better referenced books are going to be far more believable to me.

We are told that the people knew it was a person to person contagion and the fact that they instituted quarantines and prevented travel or ships docking was supposedly proof that this was so. Then, we are given example after example where quarantines and blockades didn't work. We are told that anyone tending the sick die within days, but then we are told that they were actually infected days and days before. On the one hand, we are told how smart and observant and RIGHT the people of the time period were, but then we are told how the reported death rates are wrong. Which is it? Was it immediately infectious and lethal or wasn't it?

And, I was expecting a book about the Black Death and its potential return. I would have settled for an interesting historical recount. What I got was basically was a recital of historical reports and death tolls, travel routes and plague routes. Quite honestly, this book was in no way worth the ten hard earned dollars I paid for the kindle version.

Note to authors: site references PLEASE, reference would have gone a long, long way to convincing me. Don't try to discredit other authors or books with condescending comments and sarcastic remarks, or better yet just don't do it at all, it doesn't make you look good, rather petty really, and makes me as a reader view everything else presented in your work with a less than favorable eye. And try to be consistent in your arguments at least, don't tell me one thing and then immediately tell me why it isn't so. Frustrating, frustrating, frustrating book.

7 people found this helpful

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C. J. Thompson

Informative and entertaining for the layperson

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2010

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I have read this book several times and will read it again. The central thesis advanced by the authors is that the dreaded 'Black Death' which ravaged Europe intermittently for three centuries was not the flea/rat-borne Bubonic Plague, as has been long accepted, but was rather an ebola-like viral disease transmitted directly from person-to-person. It is still a controversial thesis, apparently, but one that I found very compelling after reading what Scott and Duncan had to say.

I have to say that it is a bit of a shame that the dust jacket blurb suggests (rather disingenuously, to my mind) that the author's thesis arose from the 'sleuthing' work they did with their research into English parish records. To their credit, however, the authors themselves quite properly acknowledge that the notion was first advanced in The Black Death: A Biological Reappraisal by Graham Twigg back in 1985.

The book has been criticized by some for not being properly foot-noted, or otherwise supported with references, but it should be noted that this book is aimed at the layperson and is obviously not intended to be a scholarly, academic-paper type of publication. The authors begin with the assumption that the ultimate reader is not an epidemiologist (or a microbiologist, of one stripe or another) and then goes on to interweave the narrative with very clear and accessible explanations of some general and useful concepts related to pathogens and epidemics. The research into the patterns of death revealed in English parish records is very convincing (to my mind) insofar as it argues that *some* outbreaks of a disease long considered to be Bubonic Plague were almost certainly something else entirely. The weakness of the book, though, is that the authors were then unable to resist speculating well beyond what is warranted from the data they collected. Had they simply looked at the late 16th century outbreak in Penrith (which they specifically researched), and then gone straight into an in-depth analysis of why this particular epidemic could not have been caused by Yersinia pestis, they would have produced an excellent, 5-star worthy publication. Unfortunately, however, they then lost a bit of credibility when they next went on to try and argue that every outbreak of 'plague' in England (and just about everywhere else), was their, so-called, 'haemorrhagic' plague). This was possible, I suppose, but by no stretch of the scientific imagination, is it supported on what is cited in the book as evidence.

The above criticisms aside, however, I still found this book to be informative in many respects, and an enjoyable read in the bargain.

2 people found this helpful

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ItsBrently

Fascinating Review of History

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2013

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The book shares with us the evidence from the time period and how the black plague could not have been bubonic. The facts we have available simply don't correlate. So from there the authors investigate to try and discover what mysterious illness could have been responsible. It's a fascinating read and covers a lot of forgotten history, so highly recommended.

One person found this helpful

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Dennis F.

Shocking and enlightening.

Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2013

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This book brings to light some amazing facts, circumstances and historical data surrounding the biggest killers of all times. And, as important, those who survived. And what that means today.

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2006

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I'm a life sciencist. I read this book about 6 months ago and looked it up on Amazon today because I wanted to recommend it to my brother. In looking over the reviews, I must disagree with the first reviewer who, if he read the book at all, appears not to have comprehended any of it. The book is utterly fascinating, and the evidence the authors present in support of their hypothesis is convincing. The authors finish their tour de force by explaining how the myth that Yersinnia pestis was the cause of the Black Death came into being. Great myths are difficult to dispel. Hopefully, the painstaking detecive work we can praise and thank the authors for will eventually put paid to the deep-rooted myth that the Black Death was caused by fleas transmitting Yersinnia pestis from rats to humans.

8 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Fascinating read.

Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2013

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A revision of history? Maybe. It contradicts everything I have personally read. Still, a provocative and well researched book. Worth the kindle price.

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Marcia Ann Chambers

New info on spread of disease.

Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2014

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Most interesting. Great read.

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Koriel Tannhauser

Black Death

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2012

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Officially the Black Death appeared quite suddenly in Sicily in Italy in 1347, and went to kill almost 1/3 of Europe in about 3 years (in London it killed about 6000 people per week). The authors proves that those kind of plagues were not Bubonic Plague (chapter 11 is quite fascinating in that regard) and were not spread by rat fleas - but instead were the result of a lethal and highly infectious Ebola-like virus transmitted directly from person to person.

They also give a short overview of different plagues such as: the plague of Athens (fifth century BC), the plague of Justinian (sixth century AD), haemorrhagic plague in the Levant (the chroniclers record that there were five great plagues in Islamic history, starting from 627 AD), Yellow plague (sixth century AD, reappeared in the seventh) or haemorrhagic plague of Crimea. And with that last point, they are actually asking if the Black Death actually come directly from Crimea, following the well-established trade routes. They suggest that the epidemic at Caffa in 346 spread across the Black Sea and reached Constantinople a year later in 1347. From Constantinople it would then spread to Sicily, bringing the Black Death to Messina six months later (October 1347) -> although it may have travelled via Greece. According to them this scenario is more convincing (than any other scenario) with respect to the timing events (page 241).

They also find a surprising link between Black Death and AIDS. A detailed inspection of parish registers (in some of the villages) shows that many people must have been in close contact with infective indoors but did not contact the plague (and this indicated that some of them developed - or already had - a resistance to the disease). According to the authors, some of the ancestors of those people, probably have developed a genetic mutation in the CCR5 receptors on their white blood cells - which also means than an individuals who inherited a pair of mutated genes from both parents have nearly complete resistance to the disease (and more recently to HIV infection), whereas those who have only one copy of the mutation delay the onset of disease (chapter 15 offers much more detailed description than that). That would also explain why some people survived Black Death and others didn't - as according to the book, the first mutation of that gene appeared about 2000 years ago in Europe (and simply some people - who had that mutation - were immune to "Black Death" right from the beginning).

At the end, they also discuss what would happen if something like that could re-emerge. If we accept that the Black Death was not caused by bubonic plague (as the book proves quite well), it is also obvious that no known infectious agent was responsible - and that it was just one of a long line of emergent diseases that have affected humanity since the ancient times. Based on that, we should accept the fact, that something like a Black Death could emerge again in the future, but this time such an event could potentially have very serious consequences for our civilization.

I agree the book is sometimes a bit repetitive but I don't find it frustrating as some reviewers are saying (then again, that comes to a personal opinion). It's a fast and easy read (not "technical" at all), that gives the most probable answer(s) as to: where exactly the Black Death come from, how did it spread, what caused it, and why some people didn't get it.

One person found this helpful

Donald

Wonderful and disturbing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2015

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A fascinating and thought-provoking read. As a history graduate I’m interested in plague from that point of view and a biologist (or microbiologist) would no doubt be able and willing to poke holes in the authors’ arguments (that the Black Death was not caused by Bubonic Plague but rather by an Ebola type infection). However, as a book that uses contemporary accounts and records to graphically describe the effects of the Black Death and its impact upon 14th century life it makes chilling reading.
The research work that was done in looking at the parish of Eyam in Derbyshire and tracing the spread of the plague through its inhabitants is eye-opening and as a non-scientist certainly leads me to take the authors’ arguments seriously.
I have no reservations in recommending this book to anyone with an interest in the subject and even if you have just a passing interest in history or in the lives of our forbearers the accounts of the suffering that so many of them endured is spine-chilling.

WeatherNerd

A Good Shake-Up

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2007

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The Government's own Health advice web site states that Plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, the bacterium transmitted along the infamous rat-flea-human route.

This book proves that, whilst bubonic plague is caused this way, bubonic plague could not have been the agent responsible for the Black Death and many subsequent outbreaks of severe mortality, as it does not follow the correct epidemiology expected for such a vector. Bubonic plague expands at a few miles a year, whereas the Black Death covered an entire continent in two years.

A good book, possibly a bit lacking in scientific detail at times, and certainly plays too much on the modern need to feel that 'it might all happen again tomorrow'. It might, but that shouldn't really take up so much space here.

Certainly worth buying; it inspired me to look into it deeper.

5 people found this helpful

Michael Hitchin

Black Death

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2013

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This is an outstanding book which proposes a new theory of the cause of the black death. There are aspects which need discussing with the authors, but I belive that one has died. The evidence which led me to conclude that the black death was not caused by the fleas on rats was firstly the speed of the disease, secondly, the long incubation of the disease allowing individuals to spread it into the communities they have travelled to and showing no symptoms of the disease, thirdly the fact that there were no rats in Iceland (black and brown). This I felt was a really telling argument, so we could conclude (with reservations that it was a disease similar in nature to Ebola/Marlburg).

Josi Martin

Extremely interesting and viable theory

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2006

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Think you 'know' about the fourteenth century plague ? It was ALL caused by the bubonic plague from rats - wasn't it ? In this book they lay out an alternative theory and back it up with epidemiological studies that use the historical accounts to support their theory about the main death toll being due to an alternative problem. It appears to be appropriately referenced and well researched and will be of interest to anyone with a lively interest in this great mortality within Europe (from 30-50% of the entire population living at the time).

3 people found this helpful

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Return of the Black Death: The World's Greatest Serial Killer Hardcover – June 7, 2004

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