Mask

Bruno J. Strasser is a historian, a full professor at the University of Geneva, and an affiliate of History of Medicine at Yale University. Thomas Schlich is the James McGill Professor in the History of Medicine at McGill University, and a former practicing physician.

“[An] engrossing, finely illustrated account of a subject hitherto surprisingly under-researched.”—Nature, Best Books of 2025“This gripping book weaves history, medicine, science, and politics into a fascinating story which ranges across cultures and centuries. Brilliantly written and beautifully illustrated, The Mask is a breath of fresh air.”—Roger Kneebone, author of Expert: Understanding the Path to Mastery“The Mask breaks new ground as the first longitudinal study of masks across the two millennia in which they have been used. Combining medical, cultural, and intellectual history, this accessible book provides a variety of new and surprising insights.”—Frank M. Snowden, author of Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to the Present“This captivating and richly illustrated book offers an ambitious and expansive history of ‘bad air,’ the plague, and approaches to widespread disease. It uses the mask—as both physical object and metaphor—to uncover and reveal, brilliantly charting a course through the intertwined histories of disease, war, the environment, and identity.”—Sharrona Pearl, author of Mask and Do I Know You?“What an absolute delight! A journey through the history of how and why masks were created to address ‘bad air’ and the numerous ways this seemingly ubiquitous technology has appeared in human history.”—Jaipreet Virdi, author of Hearing Happiness: Deafness Cures in History