“The Air We Breathe” by Andrea Barrett is a charming novel set in the Adirondacks in 1916. It’s a story about tuberculosis patients, not often considered a “happy” topic, and yetthe characters quickly come to life with a depth of emotion and complexity that is surprising. It’s hard to say who the main character really is as Ms. Barrett switches perspectives frequently. That helps keep the book fresh, especially for those readers who don’t have a passion for history, illness or X-Ray technology.

All characters are touched by tuberculosis in some way. Some are sick and “curing” at a large sanitorium. Others are sick and have the money to stay in private homes. Some are doctors, nurses or owners of “cure homes”. Ms. Barrett does a good job of writing from both the male and female characters’ point of view.

How historically accurate is this book? I don’t know the answer to that, though you will feel like Ms. Barrett must have done some extensive homework. There’s a little suspense, a small dose of romance but mostly the book is about being away from home and about relationships.

If you’d like to read a more “thrilling” book about a historical illness outbreak, I would highly recommend “The Cruelest Miles” or “The Hot Zone”. “Miles” is about the diptheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska which made Balto a household name. “Zone” is about Ebola and is the most disgusting book that I’ve ever read (but it’s worth the gag factor).

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