This surprised me. I really enjoyed the audio for this one. Its very factual but flows well like a fiction story even though it is nonfiction. I really didn't know anything about this time period before reading this or even the name Mary Mallon.
Mary Mallon has been a cook for years, and a good one at that. But then typhoid breaks out in a home she is working in. It takes some time but health department officials connect Mary to the deaths of the family, realizing that there are several instances of Mary working where typhoid has broken out. The problem? Mary refuses to comply with the officials. In the end she is given the nickname Typhoid Mary.
I feel very badly for this women. Its clear how mistreated she was by the government. While yes, she may not have been totally innocent and her stubbornness didn't help, I can't blame her for the way she reacted to the doctors and officials. Unfortunately, in the end it did her more harm than good.
Kids will love this story (it definitely makes me think twice about washing my hands more often). Its a little bit gross, its compelling and its a true story. A short and enjoyable read, and the audio book is great to listen to.