The Mask, A History of Breathing Bad Air
A History of Breathing Bad Air
Book •
The book presents a history of masks protecting against bad air in cities, factories, hospitals, and war trenches, exploring how our identities and beliefs shape the decision to wear a mask.
For centuries, humans have sought to protect themselves from harmful air, whether from smoke, dust, vapors, or germs.
This book offers the first history of respiratory masks ranging from simple pieces of cloth to elaborate gas masks and explores why they have sparked both hope and fear.
It challenges us to reconsider how we care for one another and the kind of environment we aspire to inhabit.
For centuries, humans have sought to protect themselves from harmful air, whether from smoke, dust, vapors, or germs.
This book offers the first history of respiratory masks ranging from simple pieces of cloth to elaborate gas masks and explores why they have sparked both hope and fear.
It challenges us to reconsider how we care for one another and the kind of environment we aspire to inhabit.
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Miranda Melcher
Bruno J. Strasser and Thomas Schlich, "The Mask: A History of Breathing Bad Air" (Yale UP, 2025)
