Fever Season: the Story of a Terrifying Epidemic and the People Who Saved a City / Jeanette Keith 261 p.

In 1878 the city of Memphis was struck by an especially strong epidemic of yellow fever.  The population fled, leaving behind 20,000 people, mostly African-Americans who had fewer means to leave.  Keith's book is the story of how those who stayed behind organized care for the thousands of sick, obtained and distributed food, and maintained order under hideous circumstances.  Keith highlights especially those who are on record as showing great courage, and analyzes why they stayed when they might have saved themselves.  Interesting but also somewhat frustrating.  Having read lots of Erik Larson (Devil in the White City, etc.) and recently, Candice Millard's Destiny of the Republic, I kept wishing that Keith would tell me a story.  There may not have been enough in the historical record for her to do that; I just like a little narrative with my pestilence.