"Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson - Historical Fiction Book Club - Past Titles

About the Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson is an American author known for her contributions to young adult literature. Born on October 23, 1961, in Potsdam, New York, Anderson has gained widespread acclaim for her novels that tackle important and often challenging topics faced by teenagers.

Early Life:

Laurie Beth Halse was born on October 23, 1961, in Potsdam, New York.
She grew up in a family that valued education and literature, fostering her love for reading and writing from an early age.

Education:

Laurie Halse Anderson attended Onondaga Community College, where she studied art.
She later transferred to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a bachelor's degree in languages and linguistics.

Early Writing Career:

Anderson's early career involved writing for newspapers and magazines, including The Philadelphia Inquirer.
She began her writing career by penning articles, essays, and picture books for children.

Debut Novel:

Laurie Halse Anderson's debut novel, "Ndito Runs," was published in 1996. It is a picture book for children.

Breakthrough with "Speak":

Anderson gained widespread recognition and critical acclaim with her novel "Speak," published in 1999. The novel, written in the first person, addresses the traumatic experience of a teenage girl named Melinda Sordino.

Notable Works:

"Speak" (1999): The novel explores themes of trauma, silence, and finding one's voice. It has become a seminal work in young adult literature.
"Wintergirls" (2009): This novel deals with themes of eating disorders and mental health.
"Chains" (2008) and "Forge" (2010): These historical novels are part of the "Seeds of America" trilogy, exploring the American Revolutionary War from the perspective of a young slave.
"The Impossible Knife of Memory" (2014): Addressing the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this novel follows the story of a teenager dealing with her father's experiences in the Iraq War.
"Shout" (2019): A memoir in verse, "Shout" delves into Anderson's own experiences and explores the issues raised in her previous works.

Awards and Recognition:

Laurie Halse Anderson has received numerous awards for her contributions to young adult literature, including the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens.

Advocacy:

Anderson is a vocal advocate for the importance of literature for young readers and is actively involved in discussions about censorship, sexual assault awareness, and mental health.

Legacy:

Laurie Halse Anderson's novels are widely used in schools and have sparked important conversations about sensitive topics, making her a significant figure in the realm of young adult literature.

MLN Materials

book
spoken CD

Audiobook Versions

hoopla
Libby

Ebook Versions

Libby

Synopsis

August 1793. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook is ambitious, adventurous, and sick to death of listening to her mother. Mattie has plans of her own. She wants to turn the Cook Coffeehouse into the finest business in Philadelphia, the capital of the new United States. But the waterfront is abuzz with reports of disease. "Fever" spreads from the docks and creeps toward Mattie's home, threatening everything she holds dear. As the cemeteries fill with fever victims, fear turns to panic, and thousands flee the city. Then tragedy strikes the coffeehouse, and Mattie is trapped in a living nightmare. Suddenly, her struggle to build a better life must give way to something even more important -- the fight to stay alive.

Historical Timeline

The yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793 was a devastating event that unfolded over several months. Here is a timeline outlining key events during the yellow fever epidemic:

1793:

Late Spring/Early Summer: The yellow fever outbreak begins in Philadelphia. The first cases are reported, but the cause of the illness is not immediately understood.
July 14: Dr. Benjamin Rush, a prominent physician in Philadelphia, publishes a letter describing the symptoms of the disease and advising people on how to avoid infection. However, the origin and nature of the illness remain unclear.
August 5: The death toll increases significantly, and panic starts to grip the city. Many residents begin to flee in an attempt to escape the epidemic.
August 14: Dr. Benjamin Rush correctly identifies mosquitoes as carriers of the disease, but his theory is not widely accepted at the time.
August 19: The city authorities, recognizing the severity of the epidemic, begin implementing public health measures such as quarantine zones and disinfection efforts.
September 1: The epidemic reaches its peak, with a high number of cases and fatalities reported daily.
September 10: The epidemic begins to subside, and the number of new cases decreases. Many residents who had fled the city begin to return.
September 26: The city government officially ends the quarantine, signaling the official conclusion of the epidemic. However, sporadic cases continue to be reported.
October: The weather turns colder, and with the onset of autumn, the mosquito population decreases. This, along with the quarantine measures, contributes to the decline of the epidemic.
November: The city gradually returns to normalcy, but the impact of the epidemic on the population and the city's social and economic fabric is profound.

After 1793:

Long-Term Impact: The yellow fever epidemic of 1793 had a lasting impact on Philadelphia. The death toll is estimated to have been in the thousands, and the city's population experienced a significant decline.
Medical Advances: The epidemic spurred further research into yellow fever and contributed to advancements in medical understanding, particularly regarding the role of mosquitoes in transmitting the disease.
Urban Planning: The experience of the epidemic influenced urban planning and sanitation measures in Philadelphia, as well as in other cities facing similar health crises.

The yellow fever epidemic of 1793 was a tragic and transformative event in Philadelphia's history, impacting the city socially, economically, and medically. The timeline provides a broad overview of the key events during this challenging period.

An American Plague by Jim Murphy
Call Number: J 614.5 Murphy
This is the story of how half the city's residents fled and half of those who remained died; neighboring towns, cities and states barricaded themselves; George Washington himself fled, setting off a constitutional crisis; and bloodletting caused blood to run through the streets. It is also the story of a little known chapter in Black history in which free Blacks nursed the sick only to be later condemned for their heroic efforts.
The Goodbye Season by Marian Hale
Call Number: J Hale
Mercy Kaplan doesn't want to be like her mother, saddled with crying kids and failing crops for the rest of her life. Mercy longs to be on her own--until her wish comes true in the worst possible way. It is 1918 and a deadly flu epidemic ravages the country, leaving her utterly alone and penniless. Mercy soon finds a job with Mrs. Wilder. But there's something unsettling about the woman, whose brother died under mysterious circumstances. And then there's Daniel, who could sweep a girl off her feet if she isn't careful.
A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier
Call Number: YA FIC Lucier
For Cleo Berry, the people dying of the Spanish Influenza in cities like New York and Philadelphia may as well be in another country--that's how far away they feel from the safety of Portland, Oregon. And then cases start being reported in the Pacific Northwest. Schools, churches, and theaters shut down. The entire city is thrust into survival mode--and into a panic. Headstrong and foolish, seventeen-year-old Cleo is determined to ride out the pandemic in the comfort of herown home, rather than in her quarantined boarding school dorms. But when the Red Cross pleads for volunteers, she can't ignore the call. As Cleo struggles to navigate the world around her, she is surprised by how much she finds herself caring about near-strangers. Strangers like Edmund, a handsome medical student and war vet. Strangers who could be gone tomorrow. And as the bodies begin to pile up, Cleo can't help but wonder: when will her own luck run out? Riveting and well-researched, A Death-Struck Year is based on the real-life pandemic considered the most devastating in recorded world history. Readers will be captured by the suspenseful storytelling and the lingering questions of: what would I do for a neighbor? At what risk to myself? An afterword explains the Spanish flu phenomenon, placing it within the historical context of the early 20th century.