Who Am I?
I’m Edna Bonhomme, a historian of science and culture writer based in Berlin. I earned a Ph.D. in the History of Science from Princeton University and a Master of Public Health from Columbia University. Furthermore, I previously had fellowships at the Max Planck Institute for History of Science and Research, Ludwig Maximilian Universität, the Camargo Foundation, and Baldwin for the Arts. I was born and raised in Miami (unfortunately based in Florida), meaning I love subtropical beaches and sunshine. When I’m not working, I’m eating plantains, scheming with friends, and sharing plantains with friends.
What am I writing?
As a cultural writer, my essays critically discuss how humans navigate the unsavory and unwieldy states of health—especially subjects that discuss contagious outbreaks, medical experiments, reproductive assistance, or illness narratives. These days, I write essays, features, and book reviews; my words have appeared in Aljazeera, The Atlantic Magazine, The Baffler, Esquire Magazine, Frieze, The Guardian, London Review of Books, The Nation Magazine, WIRED, and other publications.
My book, A History of the World in Six Plagues (Simon & Schuster, Forthcoming), examines confinement's role in fostering and hindering epidemics. Moreover, the text shows that disease outbreaks have been exacerbated throughout history by the racial, economic, and sociopolitical divides we allow to bloom in times of good health. I am co-editor (alongside Alice Spawls) of After Sex (Silver Press), an anthology about reproductive freedom. These essays, short stories, and poems trace past understandings of sex and abortion and consider what it might look like, making urgent connections between women’s equality and bodily autonomy.
How can you reach me?
Don't hesitate to contact me about writing magazine features, composing nuanced essays, reviewing recent books, nominating me for an award, or exchanging plantain recipes. You can reach me here if you’d like to get in touch. You can also follow me on Twitter to hear my occasional rants. Finally, I am represented by Ian Bonaparte at Janklow & Nesbit. For literary queries, please get in touch with him directly.
