It takes the average reader 7 hours and 5 minutes to read Touching Distance by Rebecca Abrams
Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more
‘Atmospheric and fascinating’ - Hilary Mantel Shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize and winner of the Medical Journalists' - Association Open Book Award In the winter of 1790, a mysterious and deadly disease strikes the unsuspecting town of Aberdeen. The victims are all women in the prime of life. Determined to save his patients, talented young physician Alec Gordon embarks on an astonishing medical quest. What he discovers will shake the small, close-knit community to the core and change his own life – and that of his wife and young daughter – forever. Based on the true story of Alexander Gordon, the first person to discover that infectious diseases were transmitted by human contact, Touching Distance is a stunning historical novel set in Scotland and the West Indies in the Age of Enlightenment. It centres on a deadly epidemic without a cure, history’s very first ‘track and trace’, and Gordon’s desperate attempts to make people understand the vital importance of hand-washing and social-distancing, over a century before they were scientifically proven. A vivid portrait of a pivotal moment in world history, it is also a universal tale of intimacy and estrangement, reason and passion, corruption and courage. The novel’s key themes include medical whistle-blowers, doctors and midwives on the frontline of a deadly disease, the battle between scientific truth and political self-interest, Britain’s deep links with colonialism and slavery, the dangerous intersection of racism and sexism, and the impact of epidemics on women. Touching Distance by Rebecca Abrams is a novel that speaks powerfully to crucial issues we are still grappling with today.
Touching Distance by Rebecca Abrams is 416 pages long, and a total of 106,496 words.
This makes it 140% the length of the average book. It also has 130% more words than the average book.
The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 9 hours and 41 minutes to read Touching Distance aloud.
Touching Distance is suitable for students ages 12 and up.
Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.
When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.
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