Johannes Nohl (1882–1963)

A 2006 paperback reprint of a book originally published in 1926. (Warning: there are a lot of books titled The Black Death. Apparently, the copyright has expired). It is not, as the subtitle suggests, “A Chronicle of the Plague”, but a collection of selections from contemporary sources on different aspects of the Plague: “The Medical Profession and the Plague”; “Plague Remedies”; “Administrative Precautions”; “Attitude of the Church”, etc. What’s more, it does not deal only with the famous outbreak of the Black Death in 1348, but covers anything mediaeval and renaissance that could arguably be described as “plague”: cholera, smallpox, the true plague, etc. There are lots of sad little anecdotes, thankfully translated into modern English, and expressing the despair felt by plague victims. Not a book if you want a real history of the infamous Black Death, but interesting and useful as a reference source for contemporary accounts.… (mais)