Profound, provocative, amusing, fascinating, Rats, Lice and Hsitory utterly defies literary classification, except that it is undoubtedly a contemporary classic. Using as his framework a “biography” of typhus fever, Dr. Zinsser writes trenchantly on infectious diseases and nedical responses, people, customs, history, places, religion, art and science in a pawky style which shows both his enormous scholarship and rare human wisdom. Of Rats, Lice and History, reviewers said: “Enough imagination to fertilize a dozen novels” (New Outlook), “Rare and delightful… deep erudition, sustained wit…” (Atlantic Bookshelf).