18 Books with Themes for the Time of Covid

Brookgreen Gardens | To Make Much of Time travel blog

UPDATED: 2/5/2023

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One of the magical things about books is that we see ourselves in them in some form or fashion. Sometimes they are a mirror, reflecting parts of our life experiences back at us; other times, they can serve as a microscope, helping us come away with new insights about ourselves or others.

And while the words themselves don’t evolve over time, we do, and so reading a book at one point or another in our lives can lead to very different ways of experiencing them.

I’ve read several books recently that either directly or indirectly have felt highly relevant to me in these current times, and that has led me to reflect on books I have read before that are thematically appropriate for all the different experiences and feelings defining this moment of humanity. Of course no two people are experiencing this moment alike due to all sorts of reasons - anything from differences in profession to family structure to socioeconomic status to personality.

You may know people who are currently morbidly fascinated by books and documentaries focused on plagues, others looking to rebalance their lives, others who are bored out of their freakin’ minds, others who are worried about what this foreshadows for future challenges ahead for mankind, and others still who are concerned about populations less able to weather these storms. And maybe all of those describe you on a Wednesday-or-whatever-day-it-is before noon.

And so, I present to you a list of 18 books that I have read, and I think capture so many of the moods that feel practically palpable these days. Because this list is so long, my goal is not to provide a thorough book review but instead to share the themes that may be relevant so that you can pick ones that may speak to you. Three books are literally about plagues, so I’ll start with them; the rest cover a wide array of relevant themes.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Books - A historical fiction novel that is based on the true story of Eyam, a small town in England, which was visited by the plague in 1666. Led by a charismatic preacher, the town makes the sacrificial decision to close themselves off from the outside world to avoid further spread of the disease and finds itself confronting a whole host of expected and unexpected consequences.

World Without End by Ken Follett - The second book in a three-part (soon to be four-part) series that tells a multi-generational story of a town in England is set in 1327 during an outbreak of the plague. This book can be read as part of the series or as a stand-alone since each book has new characters.

The Plague by Albert Camus - Set in Oran, Algeria, existentialist Camus explores the impact of a plague on the population - from their denial to blame to a return to normalcy - against a backdrop of the abject randomness and potential meaninglessness of life (à la existentialism). A recent New York Times opinion piece nicely summarized the book in light of the coronavirus [here][0].

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka - What better way to capture the feeling of existential dread than to read an existential novel where the main character wakes up one morning transformed into a giant insect?

Sourdough by Robin Sloan - I think we all know why this book made the list: I’m looking at all of you new parents to sourdough starters! This fun read is filled with magical realism (the starter is definitely, maybe, somewhat alive), a decent amount of detailed descriptions of bread making, and do-it-yourself oven making. Set against a backdrop of Silicon Valley and career malaise, the main character finds her calling in bread making.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - Where the said gentleman finds himself under what is essentially house arrest but in his case happens to be the hotel in which he lives. Constricted by the hotel’s walls, he seeks to find a sophisticated way of living in spite of his situation.

The Overstory by Richard Powers - For those viewing our current circumstances and humankind’s reaction as a precursor for things to come with climate change, this may be a good novel for you. The format of this novel is built around nature and trees and, secondarily, humankind’s intersection with them as told through a revolving door of characters. The primary setting is on the west coast of the US where some of the oldest and largest trees struggle to survive.

The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World by Jeff Goodell - For those looking for a non-fiction option, this book will show the extent to which society will need to evolve in the coming years to meet the new normal of climate change. There is a great New York Times review of this book here.

A Very Long Engagement by Sébastien Japrisot - This novel is a translation from French and in a mixture of romance and mystery, explores lives torn asunder by World War I. In this case, main character Mathilde, wheelchair-bound since childhood, sets out to discover what really happened to her fiance, after receiving word of his death but disbelieving it. To me this book fits the current mood in that it captures how life can be turned upside down from joy to misery and, perhaps worst, filled with uncertainty. Mathilde’s quest begins as one to regain that lost life at any cost.

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - I read this book a couple of years ago and absolutely fell in love with it. Let’s face it: who isn’t thinking about death in one capacity or another these days? This novel is set in Washington, DC, and is a unique literary novel that is infused with death in a way that is humorous and tangible and thought-provoking.

My Life in France by Julia Child - Not only do most of us find ourselves cooking more these days and having to be extra creative with what we have on hand but many people are filling their time looking for a new hobby to pick up. When Julia Child found herself in France (due to her husband’s job) with no real French language skills, she struggled to find a place for herself and decided to tackle French cooking. Renowned for her culinary impact, Child only embarked on cooking in her late 30s. This is her story of this life-changing period of her life and shows one woman’s example of making the most of her circumstances.

The Complete Poems by Emily Dickinson - I find poetry to be comforting in a way that other forms of the written word are not always, and ranking high among the poets that most gives me that feeling is Emily Dickinson. Essentially a shut-in by choice, Dickinson’s poems often deal with themes related to life and mortality.

Fantasy: How America Went Haywire, a 500-Year History by Kurt Andersen - If you are struggling to figure out how others around you can look at the same facts and circumstances and come to wildly different conclusions, this book will shine a light on some unique circumstances present in the US. While I didn’t agree with every conclusion, this non-fiction read was fascinating, entertaining, and appalling all in one. Andersen published a shorter take on this in The Atlantic in September 2017 in case you want to check that article out here.

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai - Set in alternating cities and time periods: Chicago in the 1980s and Paris in contemporary times, this novel is one of the most heart-wrenching depictions I have read about the AIDS epidemic from the initial responses and discrimination to the lasting impact the disease has had as people initially impacted have moved forward in their lives by decades. There have been a number of interesting articles about how the LGBTQ+ community is reacting to the current pandemic with lessens learned and the impact of AIDS and also criticisms about the limitations of comparing the two - an interesting article on this can be viewed here in Psychology Today by a psychologist who has experienced both. Regardless, Makkai’s novel holds so many feelings and fears that are highly relevant to today’s emotional state.

The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama - Being confronted with changing circumstances and the separation from people, activities, or hopes that have felt tied to personal happiness, is a recipe for some soul-searching. This book is built around an interview of the Dalai Lama by psychiatrist Howard Cutler, and it serves as a way to think differently about happiness and meaning.

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa - Set on an isolated island in Japan, the characters in this dystopian novel are confronted by a world in which the government ‘disappears’ things in their lives. One day, for example, flowers are the objects disappeared, and so their physical forms leave the society as well as the memories associated with them. The world ‘flower’ holds no meaning anymore. Except, there are a small number of people immune to this control and who struggle to survive and stay under the radar of the authorities who in one way or another seek to remove them from the island. I read this novel right at the start of the expansion of COVID-19 and was struck by how relevant it felt as it feels like things previously very much a part of our lives started disappearing in a way practically overnight. Add to the mix that there is a character immune to the control who is being hidden in a tiny space in a house, and this is definitely a novel for these times.

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett - This celebrated play is about waiting, and who isn’t these days? Because of the nature of the play itself, it has had varied interpretations and can be read to mean all sorts of different things to each reader; all would agree, though, that there is definitely waiting and filling time involved. Read it for yourself and see what you think it means.

The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison - This is a book that has stuck with me. Set in both the American South and New York, the novel takes an innovative look at what it is to be invisible to society, to function in a world that ignores you or deems you lesser. There are so many reminders these days about the inequities playing out in how different people are impacted by this pandemic that the theme of this book can bring to life.