An interesting scenario plays out when a small and remote logging town quarantines itself to escape a mysterious illness that has spread through the nation. The illness is reminiscent of the plague and the fear that grips the town leads to interesting interactions. However when the illness comes anyway despite their precautions, there are new and interesting challenges they must face. This is a book worth reading.

This was a great book I couldn't put it down. My bookclub read it and we did a town hall meeting and voted on different scenarios before we discussed the book. I enjoyed reading the book and it made for a spirited discussion.

I absolutely loved this story, this would be a great read whether it was 1958 or 2008. If well-developed characters are an interest for you, start reading. If we are interested in our future, we must learn lessons from the past. I see so many parallels from this historical tale to our world of today. Don't worry about the details of the story, the less you know in advance the more interesting the tale. The writer takes you to this time and place, emotionally and physically; you can see it, taste it, smell it, feel it, and experience it. The characters are believable and their conflicts very real. As the author so delicately weaves the historical, philosophical, and ethical issues together, the importance of respect and understanding for each human being is crystalized. Enough said. I have never provided a review before but I just had to share my thoughts on this book and this author. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Astonishing that this book has gotten 5-star reviews from readers; I couldn't even finish it.

It's a worthy premise, and because I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I was hooked by the dust jacket promising a powerful piece of historical fiction set in a small Washington logging town. But the author proves to be a rather clumsy writer, his prose full of anachronisms, and his characters shallow and obvious.

The horrific incident that sets the plot in motion, when two townsmen have to kill an interloper (fearing he may be carrying the influenza virus) is handled perfunctorily to say the least. I also didn't like the way the story's hero is set up to be shy, physically handicapped 16-year-old Philip Worthy -- whose unworldly viewpoint could have provided a prism through which to follow events, in the grand tradition of so many other novels centered around a youthful protagonist -- but the author suddenly leaps into the mind and memories of his adult friend Graham. I found this jarring, and a sign of a novice writer struggling to advance the tale he wants to tell. My interest waned steadily and after a few more chapters, I ultimately put the book aside unfinished. I don't often do that.

I read mostly genre fiction - sci fi, crime, fantasy - so this novel was a stretch beyond my usual boundaries, and I am extremely glad I gave it a chance. The setting represented the rural Pacific northwest perfectly, its isolation and extensive wilderness. Characters proved accessible and memorable, particularly the strong and silent Graham, on whom I developed a slight mancrush. Best of all, everything felt organic and natural, a narrative powered by circumstance and event rather than artistic necessity. That frightening sense of isolation permeated the entire story and really allowed me to lose myself in the novel. Highly recommended.

This was an interesting novel, however, parts of it were a bit boring, which I skipped over. Because of this, the pace of the book was slow. The books should have been edited better. It was about 100 pages too long. I don't know if this is the editor's fault or the writer's or both.

Like many disasters, this story started out promising. The beginning chapters were absolutely riveting, page turning, couldn't put it down, glue you to your seat, riveting. Like all disasters,it went downhill from there. The author gave pages upon pages of useless backstory that had nothing to do with the current situation of the characters. He attempted to make the recollections have some sort of point but failed miserably in having the characters learn from their previous history which, in essence, made the back story worthless. He chose the most boring, cliched character from which to tell the story - a mistake that unfortunately lasted for the entire story. In the midst of a story about the plague, he throws in spies and war stories which while interesting, have no place in this book. It's as if he's got two separate novels here and no one editing it bothered to point out that he should probably save that idea for his next novel. I'm exceptionally sorry I wasted the money on this book. If the premise intrigues you, please - borrow it at a library and don't waste your money.

This book works on two levels. First it is a page turner. You can't put it down, you can't wait to see what happens next. Second, it is just plain good writing. I believe this book will be considered great literature in the years to come, just as we read Joyce, Woolf, etc. in literature classes in college and high school. But don't let THAT stop you from reading it now.

Great premise. Solid pacing. Not sure about the ending....I was expecting something a little better based on how well the first 2/3rds of the book was. Could make a great movie if done right. Recommended....I gave it 4 stars but should probably get 3.5....

The Last Town on Earth is a story of a town in Washington state that goes into complete quarantine during the 1918 flu epidemic. Thomas Mullen uses situations which character personalities can change the fate of many lives. The book specifically follows Philip and Graham on their journeys both before and during the quarantine. This theme is very popular one in his books, these kind of situations face the character with a moral dilemma on either path they chose. The challenges of living in complete isolation from other towns, people, or technology can be very taxing on people, and in The Last Town on Earth people make decisions that can blow over the house of cards that this sensitive community could be compared to. The two main characters are almost complete opposites, Graham is very aggressive and likes to clean up mistakes swiftly and without hesitation. Philip on the other hand is very sensitive and tries to find a different way if faced with doing something that could be considered morally wrong. When these two characters work together interesting things can happen, see for yourself in The Last Town on Earth.

Thomas Mullen had a good thing going until he proceeded past the first couple of chapters of this book. The characters and situations are straight out of a high school girl's sappy diary/fantasy. Idealistic mill workers who garden together and don't fart and cuss? Give me a break. The romantic adventures of 15 year old kids made out to be upstanding citizens facing dilemas of great consequence just don't work. The teenage love plotlines embarrass me enough that I might puke if I have to recall them in any detail. Better to have stuck to the flu, the life of a milltown, and the political dissent. Clearly these topics were researched in a cursory manner for this book and the author does not draw on any sort of deep understanding of them. The author might have a successful career in trashy ramance novels, but not in serious literature.

I read Flu: The Story Of The Great Influenza Pandemic, as well as Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It, so was interested in the premise of this work of historical fiction. During the Spanish flu epidemic, a small logging town quarantines itself from the world, refusing to allow anyone into the village.

The story is interesting, weaving German spies, conscientious objectors, and the political climate of WWI into the underlying story of human values.

It's a quiet book -- even with many emotional conflicts, it never gets loud or bombastic. I enjoyed it, although a few bits went on a trifle long.

Recommended!

Lori Anderson

Before starting this book I read most of the reviews here. I was expecting the first few chapters to be fantastic, then waited for the author to drop the ball, as a bunch of reviewers here said he did. However, I don't think he did. Yes, after the first few chapters, things slow down for a while, but stick with it. About the middle of the book is when things really start to get good.

I can't help but wonder if the reviewers who admitted to never finishing this book, yet still rated it poorly, would have given it the same rating if they'd actually READ it. Now, I'm not going to summarize the story here, as it's already been done many times, but if you're interested in reading this, I absolutely recommend it. It's a fascinating, and scary look at what can happen to a town, to friends and neighbors, when tragedy and illness hit. The fingers that start pointing, the accusations that are tossed around, and people showing their true colors when they feel their lives are being threatened.

I think Mr. Mullen did a wonderful job with this book. I found it to be well written, and the few main characters were very well developed. Don't let yourself be swayed by negative reviews from folks who didn't even finish the book, like I almost was. Just read it for yourself, and you'll see what a great story this is. I definitely look forward to more from this talented author.

I enjoyed this book. Our book club read it. It was informative with regards to the flu epidemic, the wobblies, the war. Little is written about this time period as opposed to WWII era. Although I don't agree with some of the politics of the characters, I felt it was fair about showing different sides.Bottom line for me was that Utopia doesn't exist. Humans can have great intentions and ideas. However, fear and greed always manage to creep in during times of stress and tragedy. These human traits that make a utopian society impossible. Tragedy happens and evil exists on a very real level. All we can do is try to stay on the right side even when the line gets blurry.That is what I took from this book.

This book had everything that it needed to become a really great novel. It had an excellent plot, an original storyline, etc. But I never felt emotionally invested with the characters. So disappointing because I felt like this book could have been so much more.

Very good style of writing and fast-pace for a novel that explores an unknown period of history. Likeable characters and a unique story really draw the reader in. I recommend it.

Really presents an interesting scenario with situations that make you ponder what YOU would do in those situations. Enjoyed it very much.

This was a really interesting premise for a book: a progressive mill town in the early 1900's quarantine's itself from the Spanish flu epidemic during WWI. The plot makes the reader reconsider concepts of self-preservation vs. community, how far would you really go to protect yourself, your family, your neighborhood, your country? While the story is a good one, I'd say the writing is merely adequate to tell the story and make the book worth reading, nothing spectacular.

I'm in line with the other 1 and 2 star reviews. I went with 2 stars because the topic is so good and I was able to finish it (what a relief).

If you're going to start out your novel on a plague with a quote from Camus - you better deliver. This novel did not.

The characters are shallow stereotypes. The plot is painfully predictable while at the same time being juvenile and unrealistic. In the authors opinion people who would take reasonable steps to protect themselves and their families from a deadly plague are foolish and wrong. Count me as one person who would keep the kids home from school while a deadly plague like that of 1918 is rampaging through the community!

The authors ignorant view of humanity is well matched by his writing ability.

A long drawn out tedious book. Based on the 1918 Flu Epidemic that swept across America. This book takes place in the mythical town of Commonwealth, Washington. When the flu begins to hit neighboring towns hard, the owners of a remote mill town decide to cut themselves off and live in a self imposed quarantine. All seems to go well until the flu comes to town. Was it carried by the two soliders or were there other reasons? Alot of guilt and a lot of finger pointing. The last quarter of the book was better then the beginning. You just have to muddle through to get there.

The Prologue was riveting, and the first two chapters held my attention. Then it seemed that another writer took control: the prose became wooden, the dialogue sounded manufactured, and the characters felt one-dimensional ... so much so that reading became a chore; I didn't finish the book.

The Prologue was riveting, and the first two chapters held my attention. Then it seemed that another writer took control: the prose became wooden, the dialogue sounded manufactured, and the characters felt one-dimensional ... so much so that reading became a chore; I didn't finish the book.

The story setup was great ... quarantined town, neighboring towns in trouble, fort nearby, Philip's moral dilemma. All the pieces were set, and then ... the author just didn't know what to do with the great setup he'd created. The last 50 pages were an extreme letdown. I can just imagine someone like Stephen King taking the story's setup and running with it ...

The town of Commonwealth, Washington, was founded with high ideals as an experiment in fair labor. However, with the Great War raging in Europe and the Spanish Flu ravaging town after town, the residents of Commonwealth try to protect themselves with a quarantine, shutting the rest of the world out. This seemingly logical step turns out to be fraught with unexpected dangers, first from two soldiers wandering the forests and then from residents of the neighboring town who harbor deep resentments against the men of Commonwealth.

Set against a backdrop of extreme labor unrest and a war that is adamantly and vocally supported by many but quietly opposed by others, this is a story about the choices people and communities face in times of crisis, and the often difficult to predict consequences of those actions. While the best path may appear obvious at first, circumstance may later suggest that it was the wrong choice. Perhaps the best we can do is pick what seems best at the time and hope for the best. This is not a story with a happy ending, but for someone who likes stories that give them issues to ponder, this book will provide an entire feast of food for thought.

[This review is based on an Advanced Uncorrected Proof copy.]

I have not read a novel for over twenty years and I am glad that I chose this novel to re-enter the world of fiction. Mullen's tale of a town that quarantined itself during the oubreak of the Spanish flu is gripping and convincing. The characters are all well-developed and consistent. Mullen is supremely talented in describing the various emotions that people can feel in different situations: pondering the choice of protecting one's family vs. the needs of the larger community, the confused emotions when a spouse dissapoints. He deftly weaves into the plot the larger drama that was occuring at that time in the US: WWI and the opposition against it; the women's suffragate movement; strife between labor and capitalists. The novel somewhat lost steam at the very end as it wound down to a somewhat anticipated conclusion. Nevertheless, it's well worth reading as it leaves you with a lasting impression of the characters, as well as the drama of the issues, many of which are very relevant today.

This first novel by Thomas Mullen shows that the art of making ordinary people extraordinary is not lost. The author makes us care about everyone in the book in their great struggle with the flu epidemic of their time. These are very ordinary people faced with difficult decisions based upon the information they had in 1918. We, the modern reader, can see the fault in their logic about their decisions but we can understand the fear and prejudice these people faced in that time. Mullen has successfully overcome the natural tendency to view the world as we see it in 2007 and transport us back to a time when what we know today was not available.

Oh, dear. Oh. dear. This book was a big disappointment. Characters are barely plausible, events even less so. Teensy redeeming quality was the historical info about the 1919 Flu Epidemic and the Wobblies. But amidst the rest of the silly shenanigans, they hardly matter. Two thumbs down.

This was one of the best books I have read all year.

Back in WW1, my town was home to Camp Sherman...and during the war, Spanish Influenza broke out, killing many, many people.

This much I knew; but I didn't know much else.

I didn't know that the Spanish flu, for some reason, attacked people in their prime--rather than being dangerous mainly to the very old, the very young, or the already sick as most flus do.

I didn't know that there were towns in the U.S. that completely isolated themselves during the epidemic, hoping to prevent the illness from entering their community. Some towns were successful in this; others were not.

Though this book is a work of fiction, it in incredibly informative about how the Spanish Influenza attacked its victims.

It is a story of paranoia, anger, fear, hatred--all the ugly aspects of humanity. But there is also love there, too, and innocence.

Philip is perhaps the most adorable teenaged protagonists I have ever come across, and his struggles left me in tears more than once.

If you have any interest in history, WW1, or just enjoy stories about human nature, I highly recommend this book.

This is an OK read, but not a riveting page turner. Probably of more interest to those who have not read much about the flu pandemic of 1918. The characters are not as fully developed as I like.

I picked this up at the airport and expected it to just help pass a long flight. The story will stay with me a long time and I find myself thinking of the characters as if they were real. One of the best books I have read in a very long time. With a current war and flu on our modern day horizon...history may have a way of repeating itself.

What a sad and demeaning concept of our fellow man. We had a long drive so we heard it all but it was the down side of an otherwise delightful visit to the great northwest. I couldn't wait to give it away and be done with it!

Thomas Mullen's first novel, The Last Town on Earth, is set in a period of American history that its writers have largely neglected, a time when the country was fighting both World War I and the great Spanish flu pandemic. Amidst the turmoil caused by war and illness, the country was also struggling to settle the conflicts inherent in a capitalistic system facing a strong push from the growing organized labor movement.



In Mullen's novel, Commonwealth, a somewhat Utopian logging community deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, was created by a mill owner who was fed up with the way that his family treated the workers at their own lumber mill. Breaking with his family, he built an entire community based on the equality of all of its citizens, even to building identical homes for everyone living and working there. Because the lumber industry was considered critical to the war effort, his workers were routinely exempted from military service immediately following their "enlistments." In fact, because of new contracts with the federal government, the community of Commonwealth thrived until mill owner Charles Worthy reached a fateful conclusion about the flu threat.



Worthy felt a tremendous loyalty to his town and to those who had joined him in creating something so special, and he wanted desperately to protect them from the approaching flu epidemic. Despite the relative isolation of the community he knew that it was just a matter of time before the epidemic found them. In a town hall vote, the citizens of Commonwealth decided to quarantine the town, cutting themselves off from contact with the outside world and even placing armed guards at the only entrance into the town. But when two soldiers wander out of the forest on separate occasions seeking food and shelter, decisions are made that result in tragic consequences for Commonwealth and everyone living behind its barriers.



The Last Town on Earth is a cautionary tale that draws, sometimes a little too obviously, on the parallels between the modern world and 1918 America. As in 1918, we face what has become an increasingly unpopular war that has split the country almost down the middle between those who support it and those who oppose it. We live with the imminent possibility that some version of the "bird flu" will strike the human population in a manner every bit as devastating to it as the way in which the Spanish flu epidemic tore it apart. Thomas Mullen tells the story of how those who came before us responded when faced with that combination of circumstances and choices, showing us what they did right and what they did wrong. He reminds us of the many lessons to be learned from history.



The audio version of the book, 13 discs and almost 16 hours long, was excellent. It was read by Henry Strozier, a professional actor who so consistently used different voices and cadences for each of the main characters that I was able to recognize them merely from the sound of his voice. His reading was almost conversational in style, never rushed or dryly presented, and his performance was a definite plus.

Thomas Mullen's first novel, The Last Town on Earth, is set in a period of American history that its writers have largely neglected, a time when the country was fighting both World War I and the great Spanish flu pandemic. Amidst the turmoil caused by war and illness, the country was also struggling to settle the conflicts inherent in a capitalistic system facing a strong push from the growing organized labor movement.

In Mullen's novel, Commonwealth, a somewhat Utopian logging community deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, was created by a mill owner who was fed up with the way that his family treated the workers at their own lumber mill. Breaking with his family, he built an entire community based on the equality of all of its citizens, even to building identical homes for everyone living and working there. Because the lumber industry was considered critical to the war effort, his workers were routinely exempted from military service immediately following their "enlistments." In fact, because of new contracts with the federal government, the community of Commonwealth thrived until mill owner Charles Worthy reached a fateful conclusion about the flu threat.

Worthy felt a tremendous loyalty to his town and to those who had joined him in creating something so special, and he wanted desperately to protect them from the approaching flu epidemic. Despite the relative isolation of the community he knew that it was just a matter of time before the epidemic found them. In a town hall vote, the citizens of Commonwealth decided to quarantine the town, cutting themselves off from contact with the outside world and even placing armed guards at the only entrance into the town. But when two soldiers wander out of the forest on separate occasions seeking food and shelter, decisions are made that result in tragic consequences for Commonwealth and everyone living behind its barriers.

The Last Town on Earth is a cautionary tale that draws, sometimes a little too obviously, on the parallels between the modern world and 1918 America. As in 1918, we face what has become an increasingly unpopular war that has split the country almost down the middle between those who support it and those who oppose it. We live with the imminent possibility that some version of the "bird flu" will strike the human population in a manner every bit as devastating to it as the way in which the Spanish flu epidemic tore it apart. Thomas Mullen tells the story of how those who came before us responded when faced with that combination of circumstances and choices, showing us what they did right and what they did wrong. He reminds us of the many lessons to be learned from history.

The audio version of the book, 13 discs and almost 16 hours long, was excellent. It was read by Henry Strozier, a professional actor who so consistently used different voices and cadences for each of the main characters that I was able to recognize them merely from the sound of his voice. His reading was almost conversational in style, never rushed or dryly presented, and his performance was a definite plus.

Deep in the Pacific Northwest is the small mill town of Commonwealth. With World War 1 raging overseas and a deadly influenza striking down vast swaths of surrounding communities, Commonwealth votes to quarantine itself against contagion. Guards are posted at the single road leading in and out of town, and Phillip Worthy, the adopted son of the town's founder, is among them. He will be unlucky enough to be on duty when a cold, hungry, tired-and ill-soldier presents himself at the town's doorstep begging for sanctuary. The encounter that ensues, and the shots that are fired, will have deafening reverberations throughout Commonwealth, escalating until every human value-love, patriotism, community, family, friendship-not to mention the town's very survival, is imperiled.

This gripping story set during the infamous flu epidemic of 1918 raises big questions about responsibilities to family and community, and what happens when moral obligations conflict. Charles Worthy establishes the town of Commonwealth with the best intentions in the world. A haven for exploited workers, the town is run on Utopian principles. Material goods are shared, houses are the same, community members help newcomers get established, the mill is run for the good of workers, and government is by consensus. But when the town decides to set up a quarantine to protect against the raging epidemic, cracks appear.

When people are put under pressure, moral values can be a source of strength or they can crumble, and it's hard to predict in any individual case which of those two things will happen. And so it was in Commonwealth, as fear of the flu, a lack of supplies, and chafing under the agreed-upon restrictions to protect the town take over. Add the pressure of the great War, and it was a dangerous mix.

Although the style can be a bit plodding at times, this novel raises big questions in a thoughtful and realistic way. What would I have done?--the inevitable question is raised in the reader's mind. This novel is well worth your time.

This gripping novel may be set in a distant time, but its moral and political dilemmas resonate as strongly today. The year is 1918, a time which saw the cumulative impact of three different alarms: the increasing tension between striking workers and grasping management, the controversy attending America's entry into WWI exacerbated by the ever-rising death toll, and the terror of the lethal outbreak of Spanish Flu that ultimately killed five times as many Americans as the war ever did. The setting is Commonwealth, a new lumber town in the Washington forests founded on utopian principles. Already isolated, the residents vote to quarantine themselves and prohibit anyone to enter or leave. This proves easier said than done, and the ensuing events force one to confront -- sometimes in anger -- questions of morality, patriotism, personal responsibility, vigilantism, peace and violence, leadership, and love. The mostly-young principal characters are human and flawed but trying only to do what is right. The reader is drawn into their mistakes and painful lessons with a force of empathy that won't let go.

The Chicago Tribune reviewer called this "An American variation on Albert Camus' THE PLAGUE." It may seem odd to compare what is clearly a popular novel to this existentialist icon, but it nonetheless speaks to Mullen's essential seriousness. A closer comparison is to Geraldine Brooks' fine YEAR OF WONDERS, about the similar self-imposed quarantine of an English village during the Great Plague; Mullen may attempt less, but I think he achieves more. And this book is altogether stronger than the other most recent novel about the 1918 flu, WICKETT'S REMEDY by Myla Goldberg.

The Last Town on Earth is set during WW1 when there is a deadly flu epidemic across the United States. This strain of the flu is swift and deadly, striking down healthy young men and women within hours. In the Pacific Northwest, a tiny timber town called Commonwealth takes the decision to place itself in quarantine and to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the town. In this way they hope to protect their citizens from contracting the flu. However almost immediately things begin to go astray: first one, then another soldier attempts to enter the town. And the residents of the next town also start to feel threatened by the actions that the residents of Commonwealth are taking.

I enjoyed this book very much. I found it suspenseful and gripping, as well as very interesting. What is conceived as a simple plan, quickly unravels and as the town begins to feel threatened, individuals react in different ways as they attempt to protect themselves and their loved ones. It is not a perfect book: as other reviewers have noted, some of the characters are one-dimensional. I also felt that dragged a little in places as Mullen tried to incorporate every social issue of the times. Nevertheless, it's a well written story, one which kept me up late reading because I didn't want to put it down.

Readers who enjoy this book may like reading "Year of Wonders" by Geraldine Brooks. This is a historical novel set in England during the Great Plague. It's about a town in which the residents also seek to isolate themselves because of the Plague, but their motivation is to protect their neighbors from the Plague that has broken out inside their village rather than to protect themselves from the Plague getting in. It's a good book that also makes for an interesting juxtaposition to "The Last Town on Earth".

My study of American history has never come across this subject before. How sad they thought blocked access to their community by road would keep the flu out. Of course it doesn't work with people getting sick anyway.

The two outsiders who do manage to get in meet undeserved ends. It's sad to read their backgrounds and learn just why they were there.

I hope the author might continue this story so we will see what finally happens to Phillip and the town.

I can't remember where I found this book. I think it was on someone's list of best books of 2006. There's some glowing praise of it on Amazon, and I had very high hoped for it. But I was a little under-whelmed.

All the elements are there for a great, thoughtful novel. It takes place during the outbreak of the Spanish Flu in 1918. A small Utopian logging town in Washington state blocks off the road and posts guards as a kind of reverse quarantine. There's a great mix of history (I knew nothing about the flu epidemic), politics (WWI supporters clashing with activists, labor unions, socialists), and social commentary (the impact of fear on a culture) that seemed pretty relevant today.

But the novel doesn't live up to the set-up. The writing is okay, but inconsistent. The dialogue seems too modern for the time period. And overall it feels very small for such a large event. There is too much time spent on a budding teenage relationship that I don't really care about. I never really fell in love with any of the characters, so when things start getting really bad, I wasn't afraid for them; when people started dying, I wasn't that broken up about it; and when the novel ended, I just put it down and picked up another.

I didn't dislike this book. It kept me turning the page, and some of the quieter moments are nice. But overall, I was hoping for more.

I'm surprised at the glowing reviews of this book. The prologue was great, but I had to put it down after 5 or 6 chapters because the prose just plain stunk. The characters are very badly drawn, and the writing is very stilted.

The suffragist wife, the damaged orphan, the spunky grocer's daughter--ugh.
It was like watching a bad episode of Little House on the Prairie.

This is a sad book that leaves the reader wondering about the many loose ends that the author leaves hanging.

I could just read the newspaper for sad news without endings.

This book is a great story that explores the true nature of human conflict in society. The conflict in this story rings as true today as in the turbulent years the author used as a setting. As a history fan, I highly recommend this book as a palatable way to learn about American social history during the first part of the twentieth century. Subjects includes labor unrest, the flu epidemic, and homefront tension during WWI. I'm looking forward to the authors next work. Buy this book!

Gripping edge of your seat story about what people will do when they're afraid or pushed to the edge. Definite keeper!

It is somewhat surprising that one of the pivotal historical events of the 20th century, the Spanish Flu, has been almost completely ignored in contemporary literature. To my knowledge, only John Barry's outstanding work, The Great Influenza, tackles the subject with scope and depth.

This novel explores the outbreak of the Spanish Flu from the standpoint of an isolated Northwest sawmill town. Commonwealth, Washington was founded and managed as a sort of commune in response to the bitter labor unrest felt throughout the region during the era. With outbreak of the flu, the town counsel elects to enforce a quarantine from the outside world. As outsiders attempt to enter, a riveting story of survival and human nature emerges.

With respect to the subject matter, the writing and pace of the narrative, I have no complaints. I enjoyed reading the novel and appreciated the author's ability to shed light on a subject and an era in our history that is seldom addressed.

My only complaint is somewhat personal, though to my mind important. Much of the novel centers on the status of Commonwealth as a sawmill town and its connection to the forest products of the region. This being the case, it is almost inexcusable that the author would consistently use incorrect nomenclature when referring to aspects of the industry. Being in the forest products industry, it rankles when the terms "timber", "logs" and "lumber" are used interchangably or incorrectly. Each has a specific meaning. Timber refers to trees standing in the woods. Logs are trees that have been severed but not finally manufactured. Lumber is the finished product of a sawmill. So, when the author consistently refers to the sawmill selling its timber, he is misspeaking. Sawmills buy timber, cut it into logs and manufacture it into lumber. Likewise, references to lumber camps should instead refer to logging camps.

This might seem a small matter, but if an author elects to make forest products a major part of his story line, it is incumbent upon him to do so accurately. It would certainly seem to be simple enough to have his manuscript vetted by someone with some knowledge of the subject. If an author is so casual and sloppy with what would seems to be such a major part of his story line, how can I assume that many of the other facts or constructs of the novel are accurate? I'm aware that this is a novel and not a history book, but this does not excuse blatant inaccuracies when applied to the background of the novel.

Tucked away in the woods of Washington State during the tail end of what would one day be called World War I, sits the town of Commonwealth, a town unlike others for its idealistic ways and separatist ideology. During a time in America when thousands are dying, either from the war in Europe or the deadly flu epidemic ravaging the nation, the as-yet untouched (by either tragic end) people of Commonwealth decide to ostracize themselves from the rest of the country to preserve their uninfected status. In essence, they enact a sort of reverse quarantine, and this decision, albeit gotten to by the proverbially well-intentioned path, is a decision that is the first in a series of rather tragic events to fall upon the town and its people.

Muller's debut novel, is impressive in its scope and ambition. Based loosely on real towns that actually did enact such a measure for self-preservation, "The Last Town on Earth" is a book richly steeped in history. Besides being an account of a fictional town engaged in a curious experiment, Muller's novel sometimes enlightens the reader with insight into the flu epidemic, President Wilson's war, early twentieth century political climate, and the rising battles between businesses and union leaders. Sometimes, these forays into history are entertaining in their own right and relevant as background to the characters in question, but sometimes they simply read like historical accounts, and this is one of the few drawbacks to the novel for me.

Muller's strength is in taking an interesting tidbit of Americana and drawing a convincing picture of how that scene may have played out. Muller's also quite good at taking a moral uncertainty and looking at it from all sides, revealing the motivation of each character involved. His characters are carefully drawn for the reader and while I didn't love them (or hate them), they were believable in their humanity and all of their weaknesses. While Muller's writing style is rather straightforward, mostly lacking in metaphor and lyricism, his direct prose fits the story he is telling.

Overall, I would recommend this book, and look forward to seeing what this new author will come out with next.

Its an interesting book from a historical point. It not only covers the flu epidemic, but digs into the 1st world war with its detractors and supporters and the unions vs the sawmills.Some of the army scenes are quit compelling, but I couldn't help but feel that the dialogue was very modern and did not reflect the way people might have spoken in 1918. Anyone with knowledge of the Pacific Northwest will find an added treat in the narrative.
A very quick read, great for an airplane.

This book for me did not live up to expectations. I found it boring and too many times strayed off the center story line to go into long boring sub plots that I simply cared nothing about. I wanted to care about these people but I didn't simply because they were weakly developed with too much time spent on boring detail. When the prisoner who is thought to be a spy tells Phillip his story the author tries to put you there while it's happening to him. The detail in dialog is just to the extreme and halfway through I did not care about this guy or his history and in the end it simply did not matter. So why spend pages upon pages to tell his story? The history of the flu epidemic was interesting and I liked the authors 'idea' of how one town handled the situation but other than that I didn't care about the people or what happened to them.

This wonderfully written book, is on the surface, about one towns efforts to avoid the flu of 1918. At a much deeper level it deals with fear of all kinds, the flu, "spies", people who are different, the Governments use of fear to sell a war, and fear of one's own self. It is so well written it is hard to identify all the levels of fear that manifest themselves in the story.
However, this story has incredible comparisons to life in this country today, our fear of terrorists, our fear of outsiders, and our growing fear of the deadly bird flu waiting to strike, and our Governments need to brand everyone that questions our current war as "unpatriotic". Read this novel, then read what really happened during WW I and the flu of 1918 and you will see that history does, in fact, repeat itself. It is up to us to rise above it.
This is a truly wonderful book that entertains and causes thought. Read it.

This wonderfully written book, is on the surface, about one towns efforts to avoid the flu of 1918. At a much deeper level it deals with fear of all kinds, the flu, "spies", people who are different, the Governments use of fear to sell a war, and fear of one's own self. It is so well written it is hard to identify all the levels of fear that manifest themselves in the story.
However, this story has incredible comparisons to life in this country today, our fear of terrorists, our fear of outsiders, and our growing fear of the deadly bird flu waiting to strike, and our Governments need to brand everyone that questions our current war as "unpatriotic". Read this novel, then read what really happened during WW I and the flu of 1918 and you will see that history does, in fact, repeat itself. It is up to us to rise above it.
This is a truly wonderful book that entertains and causes thought. Read it.

This was a beautiful story! The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because of the ending - I was hoping it would be a little bit happier. But what a wonderful book!