Terrible Typhoid Mary: The True Story of America's Deadliest Cook - Historical Biography for Students & Educators

The audio was read by an excellent oral story teller. I listen to a lot of books on tape and many of them are not good at making the story engaging. This reader makes this mundane story very engaging. Most of the information is on the internet and that is why I only gave it four **** stars, but I still felt bad for the lady and learned a little bit.Essentially, Mary was from Ireland. She came over at about 15 to live with an aunt and uncle. After they died, Mary had no family and worked as a cook. Everywhere she cooked, the people developed Typhoid - except for Mary. Mary was held in a hospital for a number of years to keep her from spreading Typhoid. They let Mary out if she would just agree not to cook. Mary tried working as a laundress, but the pay was too low. Mary started working as a cook again and people started getting Typhoid again. Mary was again imprisoned in a hospital and remained there for the rest of her life, only with a dog and maybe a nurse or two as a friend.This story was SAD and DESPICABLE because of the following:1. Male carriers were not held against their will even though they spread Typhoid more than Mary.2. People with families and had Typhoid were not held against their will because they had families3. No one offerred Mary training in another profession so that she could stop cooking4. No one offerred Mary a stipend to supplement her laundress wage so she didn't have to work as a cook5. No one offerred Mary disability pay or some pay so she wouldn't be imprisoned6. No one spoke up for Mary, other than the newspaper publisher and her lawyer; what happened to Mary was WRONG and society let it happened7. No confidentiality was maintained regarding Mary's health records - her name and condition were disclosed to the public8. Mary often left the hospital and went into NY and no one got Typhoid9. Mary often baked pies for pay and nobody got Typhoid.The positive is that Mary did have a boyfriend, though a drunk. He died while Mary was imprisoned.Update: 1000s ways to DIE did the Typhoid Mary story and, like the book, they implied that Mary was digging in her bu555 and putting fecal matter in the food. Did they not have gloves cooks could wear in case they are spreading germs?