In the Wake of the Plague

The Black Death and the World It Made

By: Norman F. Cantor

Narrated by: Bill Wallace

Much of what we know about the greatest medical disaster ever, the Black Plague of the fourteenth century, is wrong. The details of the Plague etched in the minds of terrified schoolchildren the hideous black welts, the high fever, and the final, awful end by respiratory failure are more or less accurate. But what the Plague really was, and how it made history, remain shrouded in a haze of myths.

Norman Cantor, the premier historian of the Middle Ages, draws together the most recent scientific discoveries and groundbreaking historical research to pierce the mist and tell the story of the Black Death afresh, as a gripping, intimate narrative.

©2001 Norman F. Cantor (P)2003 Recorded Books

shockingly entertaining

I expected to be somberly informed; instead, the narrator and author cooperate to deliver an engaging narrative that is as informative about the horrors of plague life as it is hilariously critical of the hypocrisy and scandal of medieval nobility.

Thought provoking book; very bad audio production

First, the narrator is not Bill Wallace, it is John McDonough (sounds like). Second, the production is very bad because we hear phlegmy inhalations, gulps and other distracting (to me!) sounds. I just winced through much of it and missed the narration so had to go back and listen again. ugh! really, no excuse for this in a professional audio recording. Wish I had known before I bought it.

I enjoy Professor Cantor's books very much and this is another fine work. He chooses several threads and follows them through his, and others, interpretations of how The Plague had an impact on many social conditions, political fortunes, the arts, and religion. It is not a study of biomedical detail or scientific exploration.

I can recommend the book for a general survey of ideas about some of the effects of the plague on the western world, but not the production of this audiobook. I must be overly sensitive to these kind of "noises" as I don't see anyone else mentioning it, but yuck.

a quick lesson on the bubonic plague

If you could sum up In the Wake of the Plague in three words, what would they be?

this is a lively and quick listen for facts about the bubonic plague. It is skewed towards the social impacts of the plague, as opposed to the medical approach..

Just the ticket

I enjoy books that use an interdisciplinary approach to explore a subject, such as "Salt" by Mark Kurlansky or books by Jared Diamond. This book was right up my alley; I learned a lot that piqued my interest to learn more about the Middle Ages in Europe. The reader was an enjoyable combination of cultured-sounding and conversational. The pace was just right for me to follow the details (while driving) without rolling my eyes in impatience. It was relaxing, yet stimulating.

Fascinating Material, Lackluster Audio

I thoroughly enjoyed the book’s information and connections to both the past and present. Truly fascinating material. The audio though sounds like an antique radio recording from WWII, very staticky and grating. The chapters also do not line up with the chapters in the book but instead are in random places which is mildly annoying. Definitely worth reading but maybe grab a physical copy of the book instead.