Foreign Bodies

In Foreign Bodies, acclaimed historian Simon Schama explores how pandemics have shaped societies, politics, and human consciousness across centuries. From smallpox and cholera to COVID-19, Schama weaves together medical history, biography, and cultural analysis to show how scientific discovery and moral courage repeatedly emerged amid fear, superstition, and political resistance. He tells the stories of physicians, scientists, and activists — such as Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, who brought smallpox inoculation to England; Edward Jenner, the pioneer of vaccination; and Waldemar Haffkine, the microbiologist who developed vaccines against cholera and plague. The book also examines how pandemics test the bonds of empathy, truth, and governance — raising urgent questions about trust in science, freedom, and the responsibilities of nations in moments of crisis.