Twelve top books on history’s most notorious diseases

At Mental Floss Marla Mackoul tagged twelve books that dive "into an infamous disease and the people battling it in various capacities, showcasing the unwavering courage and resilience of individuals in the face of indescribable tragedy." One title on the list:

The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years by Sonia Shah

In The Fever, journalist Sonia Shah offers a compelling investigation into one of humanity’s oldest and deadliest foes: malaria. Despite over a century of knowledge on how to prevent this parasitic disease, it continues to infect almost 250 million people globally and claims nearly hundreds of thousands of lives. Shah traces malaria’s persistent impact on human history while exploring why efforts to eradicate it have repeatedly fallen short. Uniquely strengthened by Shah’s own original reporting from affected regions, The Fever illuminates the enduring threat of malaria and the need for renewed action.

Read about the other books on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue