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A community gripped by fear blocks itself off from the rest of the world to survive the 1918 Flu Epidemic
Random House
September 2006
On Sale: August 29, 2006
416 pages
ISBN: 1400065208
EAN: 9781400065202
Hardcover
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Fiction | Historical
Set against the backdrop of one of the most virulent
epidemics that America ever experienced–the 1918 flu
epidemic–Thomas Mullen’s powerful, sweeping first novel is a
tale of morality in a time of upheaval. Deep in the mist-shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest
is a small mill town called Commonwealth, conceived as a
haven for workers weary of exploitation. For Philip Worthy,
the adopted son of the town’s founder, it is a haven in
another sense–as the first place in his life he’s had a
loving family to call his own. And yet, the ideals that define this outpost are being
threatened from all sides. A world war is raging, and with
the fear of spies rampant, the loyalty of all Americans is
coming under scrutiny. Meanwhile, another shadow has fallen
across the region in the form of a deadly illness striking
down vast swaths of surrounding communities. When Commonwealth votes to quarantine itself against
contagion, guards are posted at the single road leading in
and out of town, and Philip Worthy is among them. He will be
unlucky enough to be on duty when a cold, hungry, tired–and
apparently ill–soldier presents himself at the town’s
doorstep begging for sanctuary. 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 very survival, is
imperiled. Inspired by a little-known historical footnote regarding
towns that quarantined themselves during the 1918 epidemic,
The Last Town on Earth is a remarkably moving and
accomplished debut.
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