Johnson writes an interesting story about the squalor of Nineteenth Century London with its scavenger underclass and the necessary beginnings of epidemiology. I had heard the story of Dr. John Snow linking the cholera outbreak to the Broad Street water pump, but this book made clear the unfolding of events and the other players involved.
Perhaps it’s because I read it in a single weekend, but Ghost Map seemed to ramble a lot by repeatedly making the same points. Also, the epilogue seemed very dismal in applying these lessons and concerns to our current time. Overall, I recommend it.