A frightening story of one woman's experience when the government takes over health care. Mary Mallon, who probably was unknowingly passing Typhoid to people she cooked for, is taken and stuck on an island (Not unlike the leper colonies in Hawaii). She is released and then back again. Haunting, almost prophetic and a foreshadowing of the nightmares to come in New York. A good book to read in these times.
I am sad that nobody thought to have Mary write about her life. How incredible to be the first person discovered and to have your live changed in such a remarkable way.I can only imagine how confusing and scary it was, it would have been nice to have a true account of the details and emotions but I am happy Mary Beth Keane used her imagination and intuition to help create a world that may have been very close to Mary's real world. I am on the Mary was a victim team. Although the papers and trial documents portray her as "headstrong" she was an immigrant and a single woman that fought and clawed for what she wanted. I would have fought too. How sad that her live was ripped from her, to loose what little family and friendships, to be forced to live a prisoner and a hermit.
