Publisher's Synopsis
A Journal of the Plague Year is a historical novel written by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1722. The book is a fictionalised account of the Great Plague that struck London in 1665, as experienced by an unnamed narrator. The narrator is a middle-aged man who is living in the city during the outbreak, and he provides a detailed and vivid description of the horrors of the plague.The novel is written in the form of a journal, and it covers the period from the first reports of the disease to its eventual decline. The narrator describes the symptoms of the plague, the efforts of the authorities to contain it, and the impact of the disease on the people of London. He also provides a personal account of his own experiences during the outbreak, including his encounters with the sick and dying, his attempts to protect himself and his family, and his observations of the social and economic effects of the plague.The book is notable for its realism and its attention to detail, and it has been praised for its historical accuracy. Defoe drew on contemporary accounts of the plague, as well as his own experiences of living through a major epidemic. The novel is also notable for its social commentary, as it explores the ways in which the plague affected different classes of people, and the ways in which it exposed the flaws and inequalities of society.Overall, A Journal of the Plague Year is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that provides a vivid portrait of one of the most devastating epidemics in history.The people showed a great concern at this, and began to be alarmed all over the town, and the more, because in the last week in December 1664 another man died in the same house, and of the same distemper. And then we were easy again for about six weeks, when none having died with any marks of infection.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.