The Mask
A History of Breathing Bad Air
Thomas Schlich author Bruno J Strasser author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Yale University Press
Publishing:26th Aug '25
£25.00
This title is due to be published on 26th August, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
A history of masks protecting against bad air—in cities, factories, hospitals, and war trenches—exploring how our identities and beliefs shape the decision to wear a mask
For centuries, humans have sought to protect themselves from harmful air, whether from smoke, dust, vapors, or germs. This book offers the first history of respiratory masks—ranging from simple pieces of cloth to elaborate gas masks—and explores why they have sparked both hope and fear.
Bruno J. Strasser and Thomas Schlich captivate readers with stories of individuals—from renowned doctors and political leaders to forgotten inventors and anonymous factory workers—who passionately debated the value of masks. In Renaissance Italy and Meiji Japan, in Victorian Britain and Cold War America, the way societies have engaged with face coverings reveals their deepest cultural and political fractures. The Mask challenges us to reconsider how we care for one another and the kind of environment we aspire to inhabit.
“This gripping book weaves history, medicine, science, and politics into a fascinating story which ranges across cultures and centuries. Brilliantly written and beautifully illustrated, The Mask is a breath of fresh air.”—Roger Kneebone, author of Expert: Understanding the Path to Mastery
“The Mask breaks new ground as the first longitudinal study of masks across the two millennia in which they have been used. Combining medical, cultural, and intellectual history, this accessible book provides a variety of new and surprising insights.”—Frank M. Snowden, author of Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to the Present
“This captivating and richly illustrated book offers an ambitious and expansive history of ‘bad air,’ the plague, and approaches to widespread disease. It uses the mask—as both physical object and metaphor—to uncover and reveal, brilliantly charting a course through the intertwined histories of disease, war, the environment, and identity.”—Sharrona Pearl, author of Mask and Do I Know You?
“What an absolute delight! A journey through the history of how and why masks were created to address ‘bad air’ and the numerous ways this seemingly ubiquitous technology has appeared in human history.”—Jaipreet Virdi, author of Hearing Happiness: Deafness Cures in History
ISBN: 9780300276039
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
288 pages