An American Plague

In 1793, Philadelphia is the largest city in America — and the yellow fever epidemic strikes it with terrifying speed, killing thousands and forcing the government to flee. Told through the eyes of several residents, including a young Black boy named Matthew, the book follows the city's desperate struggle against a disease no one understands. As the epidemic exposes the deep racial and social fractures of the young nation, the story becomes as much about the heroism and resilience of Philadelphia's Black community as it is about the medical mystery itself.