Plagues and pandemics are a part of global history, from the biblical “plague of locusts” to today’s COVID-19 pandemic. Dealing with unchecked diseases and disasters has given rise to great human suffering and loss of life, but it has also played a significant role in shaping our societies. Advances in public health, medicine, scientific research, and even the arts have often been inspired by or required of those who have survived. This two-volume set includes content on the Black Death , smallpox, the plague, malaria, typhoid, polio, SARS, AIDS, Covid-19 and others.