Cover image for The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time (P.S.)

Reader guide

The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time (P.S.)

Rating Not yet rated Local rating
Year 2006 Edition year
Pages 364 Mid-length read
Vibe Historical Weekend read

Ready to buy?

Affiliate disclosure: purchases made through links on this site may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.

Best for readers who...

Good fit if you want...

Worth opening if you want historical context that stays readable. Good starting point if you want a stronger entry point into historical material.

Maybe skip if...

Not a strong match if you want pure reference utility with no narrative flow. Not a strong match if you want a complete deep-dive before you decide.

Mood / Vibe Tags

Historical Weekend read Established title Context-rich

Summary

The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time (P.S.) by John Kelly reads like a history-facing title that likely values context and perspective. From the listing, this copy runs 2006 • Perennial • 364 pages, a decent clue for the kind of reading commitment it asks for.

Edition on file: 2006 • Perennial • 364 pages • ISBN 9780060006938.

Why this book now

Most useful when you want context, grounding, and a subject that rewards curiosity over speed.

Reader guide

Quick signals that help you decide faster.

Reading commitment

Steady Needs some room

Steady commitment. Enough room to develop without feeling like a marathon.

What stands out here

The clearest standout is the point of view. This feels like a book readers choose for depth and perspective, not just a topic label.

Best way to approach it

Best approached in a couple of steady sittings rather than in constant tiny fragments.

45-second preview

Three quick cards, fifteen seconds each.

00:00

1-sentence hook

The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time (P.S.) by John Kelly comes across as a steady context-rich history read for readers who like perspective with their facts.

Card 1 of 3

Similar books on UPB

Nearby picks ranked by author, shelf fit, publisher, era, and record quality.

Recommendation cards are not ready for this book yet.