My book, "The Last Town on Earth" by Thomas Mullen is a fictional story based on a little-known historical footnote about a small town called Commonwealth and their survival throughout the Spanish Flue epidemic, a disease which started during World War One and was brought back to the United States.
Basically, Commonwealth decides to quarantine itself off from the rest of society while the Spanish Flu epidemic is occurring. Their basic goal is to stop the disease form spreading into their town, like the many others surrounding them.
Thomas Mullen began writing this book simply because of his discovery of the 1918 flu pandemic, and also because of his interest in the epidemic. He did not discover much information about towns that specifically quarantining themselves off from society; he said this gave him room for creativity throughout the story. Mullen felt that the 1918 flu was a major even that had been "forgotten." Also, during the time he was writing the story, the bird flu was a cause of sickness in the United States. He thought the 1918 flue shared common similarities with the bird flu, and that this book is relevant to society because of it.
Compared to other book I have read about epidemics like this one, I have not found them as impressive as this. Firstly, the ones that I have read are extremely cliche. They all are extremely dramatized, focusing on the events themselves and simply "how many people died." Also, they did not allow me to understand what any of the characters were experiencing, or even the world around them. Much of the other books simply focused on the "epidemic" view of the situation.
Basically, Commonwealth decides to quarantine itself off from the rest of society while the Spanish Flu epidemic is occurring. Their basic goal is to stop the disease form spreading into their town, like the many others surrounding them.
"The encounter that ensues, and the shots that are fired, will have deafening reverberations throughout Commonwealth, escalating until every human value-love, patriotism, community, family, friendship-not to mention the town's survival, is imperiled."I think that this story focuses on the human aspects of emotion and survival. Obviously, Commonwealth is threatened by the epidemic raging outside of their small town. Many are forced to choose between life and death. Survival becomes the main concern of Commonwealth's society. With this change in morals, the town itself changes too. Conflicts occur, threatening as stated above, every human value, and the town itself. In essence, I feel that it illustrates the "animal" in us and what people are willing to risk for survival.
"The Last Town on Earth" illustrates an image of a small town desperate for survival, but that the same time, uses historical events to connect to current modern times, such as the bird flu. This book is a great read!Throughout the experience of reading my book, I have come to realize Thomas Mullen's writing style. In "The Last Town on Earth," Mullen does not use any special style of writing; what I think is special about it is that it subtly allows you to slip into the world he created.
"The doctor passed only two other autos during the fifteen-minute drive, saw but a lone pedestrian even though it was noon on Sunday, a time when people normally would be returning home from church, visiting with friends and family. The flu and been in Timer Falls for three weeks now, by the doctor's best estimation, and nearly all traffic on streets had vanished. The sick were condemned to their homes, and the healthy weren't venturing outside."I feel this is a good quote to show his style. When reading this, I am immediately pulled into the doctor's point of view, seeing what he sees as he drives his car in Timber Falls, and feeling shock of the flue on his mind. Much of his writing pulls me into the book like this. He does an expert job of allowing the reader to enter the world of any of the characters presented before them. When you are put into each character's mind, you realize that they are making extremely honest, life-changing decisions that challenge current moral issues; in essence, he puts the reader in the characters place and makes them think about what we would also do in their position. I am completely immersed in his world. He obviously took quality time to write his book. Each page is as thrilling as the next.
Thomas Mullen began writing this book simply because of his discovery of the 1918 flu pandemic, and also because of his interest in the epidemic. He did not discover much information about towns that specifically quarantining themselves off from society; he said this gave him room for creativity throughout the story. Mullen felt that the 1918 flu was a major even that had been "forgotten." Also, during the time he was writing the story, the bird flu was a cause of sickness in the United States. He thought the 1918 flue shared common similarities with the bird flu, and that this book is relevant to society because of it.
Compared to other book I have read about epidemics like this one, I have not found them as impressive as this. Firstly, the ones that I have read are extremely cliche. They all are extremely dramatized, focusing on the events themselves and simply "how many people died." Also, they did not allow me to understand what any of the characters were experiencing, or even the world around them. Much of the other books simply focused on the "epidemic" view of the situation.
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