Andrew, I tried to delete my second reply to you, it sounded so ungrateful; but I wasn't able to do so. It wasn't until I read Amazon's description that I thought "sci fi", while reading the first pages (the site let me peek inside the book) I thought the plot might revolve around an outbreak of some deadly apocalyptic disease.
"World War Z" is on my list.
Steve, thanks, I love historical fiction and will look out for that book...900 pages!! It'll have to be some form of ebook. Must let the parrot out