What do epidemics reveal about our society? This compelling book examines six epidemics—from cholera to COVID-19—to shed new light on issues of power, inequality, and exclusion. It blends history, cultural criticism, biography, and memoir into a multifaceted analysis, demonstrating how colonialism, racism, gender, and class shape our experiences of illness. Inspired by voices such as Susan Sontag and Toni Morrison, the book offers a complex perspective on global interconnections, encouraging further reflection on how a just society might be possible.