« 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
« 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
« The Mask breaks new ground as the first longitudinal study of masks across the two millennia. 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,’ … 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?
The Mask
A History of Breathing Bad Air
Bruno J. Strasser & Thomas Schlich
Yale University Press
288 pages | 58 illus. | 6 x 9 |
© 2025
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.
About the authors
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.