The Air We Breathe: A Novel, Andrea Barrett; W. W. Norton

“Detached from the rest of the country on the eve of World War I, the tuberculosis-stricken residents of an Adirondack lakeside sanatorium are housed in accordance with their economic status and languish in their isolation before an enterprising patient initiates a weekly discussion group.”
Robin’s Note: Angela Barrett is well known for compelling historical fiction, often paired with investigations into the history of science and medicine.  Most of all, though, her stories are human and beautifully described without being too dense.  You might also try Ship Fever, her collection of short stories, to get a taste of her style and her first novel, The Voyage of the Narwhal.