Escapist Reads for Navigating the Pandemic: Top Books to Help You Cope with COVID-19
Quarantine Entertainments: Oh No, Here We Go Again!
Hey there, quarantine lovelies! The shit-storm is about to hit the fan, if it ain't already. I hope y'all got your supplies and stockpiles ready to roll. With all the mass hysteria, riots, and looting underway, I bet there's something missing from your post-apocalypse arsenal:
Things to Do.
For.
Weeks.
Especially since live televised entertainment went up in smoke.
That's where I come in!
I've been brainstorming like a madman what I'd like to read during my time locking down and flattening the curve, and it turns out I've got a whole lotta books on my shelf with pandemic or quarantine themes. Yeah, I know, I'm some kind of bizarre twisted masochist, but humor is my coping mechanism, and after the last couple of years, who can blame me?
So, without further ado, here are my top picks for your quarantine reading list. I've arranged them decidedly_, from most pandemic-y to least, so for those of you who are losing your minds over the coronavirus outbreak, maybe skip the first few recommendations. For the rest of you, grab a bottle of whiskey, or Xanax, or whatever float's your boat, and get ready to lose yourself in some pandemic-filled fiction!
Stuck with You by Alexandra MoodyStuck with You is a charming and relatable novel centered around two people who find themselves locked down together during the quarantine. It's a heartwarming story of what happens when unexpected connections form during a pandemic, and how love story might just help save the world [2].
Moms Don't Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology, edited by Zibby OwensThis anthology collects over 60 essays from notable authors, offering diverse perspectives on the quarantine experience. It's a collection of stories that resonate with those living through the pandemic, with contributions from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Gloria Steinem, and Malcolm Gladwell, among others [3].
World War Z by Max BrooksThis book has gained a cult-classic status as it features a unique oral history format as the narrator collects first-hand accounts from survivors of a global zombie apocalypse. The similarities between the spread of the Zombie virus and COVID-19 are striking, and maybe it will help you feel a little less alone in these dark times [1].
The Maze Runner Series by James DashnerThis young-adult dystopian series is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a deadly disease has swept the planet, causing a zombie-like infection called the Flare. A group of survivors, known as the Gladers, must navigate through the unforgiving landscape of the Scorch to reach safety and uncover the truth behind WICKED [4].
The Stand by Stephen KingIn a post-apocalyptic America decimated by a deadly super flu, a group of survivors must band together to combat the dark forces that threaten to consume a collapsing society. If you're looking for something a little more horrifying than your run-of-the-mill pandemic story, The Stand is a gripping tale of good versus evil in a post-apocalyptic landscape [6].
The Plague by Albert CamusThis classic novel explores the human condition in the face of a devastating pandemic. In a small, isolated town in Northern Africa, a deadly bacterial infection sweeps through the population, killing hundreds and forcing people to confront their own mortality [7].
What books are you reading to keep yourself busy during the COVID-19 outbreak? Have you read any of these books? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
Rate this:
Share this:
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
- Click to share on X (Opens in new window)X
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Pinterest
- Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Email
- Click to print (Opens in new window)Print
- More
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Tumblr
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Reddit
- Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)LinkedIn
Related
Fill Your Creative WellIn "Productivity for Creatives"
Thought SpaceIn "Productivity for Creatives"
Book Review: The Selection Series (Books 1-3), by Kiera CassIn "Book Reviews"
References:1. Max Brooks, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (New York: Broadway Books, 2008)2. Alexandra Moody, Stuck with You (New York: Raincoast Books, 2020)3. Zibby Owens, Moms Don't Have Time to: A Quarantine Anthology (New York: Verona Books, 2020)4. James Dashner, The Maze Runner (New York: Delacorte Press, 2009)5. Edna Bonhomme, A History of the World in Six Plagues (New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2020)6. Stephen King, The Stand (New York: Scribner, 1978)7. Albert Camus, The Plague (New York: Vintage International, 1991)
- Despite the grim situation, it's crucial to find solace in entertainment and literature during quarantine.
- To immerse myself in a pandemic-themed narrative, I've added 'The Plague' by Albert Camus to my quarantine reading list.
