The 1918 influenza outbreak infected roughly one-third of the world’s population at the time, yet — on the surface — it didn’t seem to leave its mark on art and literature the way World War I did. But scholar Elizabeth Outka, author of “Viral Modernism: The Influenza Pandemic and Interwar Literature,” argues the pandemic’s influence is an undercurrent that runs through many works of the period. Host Marco Werman speaks with Outka.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.