Review: Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America

Terrible Typhoid Mary: A True Story of the Deadliest Cook in America by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mary Mallon is usually credited with causing New York's typhoid epidemic in the early 1900s. She was identified as the US's first asymptomatic carrier of the disease. This nonfiction books tells us her story. Because it's nonfiction, there are holes in her story, and the author makes her best guess as to what happened. When she does this she always alerts the reader to the fact she is making an educated guess.

I learned a lot while reading this. Epidemiology was a new science back then, and it was fascinating learning about how the typhoid outbreak was traced to Mary Mallon. It was very eye opening to see how Ms. Mallon was treated, especially in light of how other typhoid carriers were treated - especially the males.

I love the trend I'm seeing in narrative nonfiction for middle grade readers. The books I've read lately have been outstanding.

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