15 Books I’m Reading During Pandemic Times
As most of us shift from shock to life as survival indoors, I hope we choose to read more stories. I choose stories to learn, to be distracted, to enjoy, to be moved, to be reminded of the beauty and the triumph of the human spirit. And sometimes to just laugh too.
The other day I didn’t know what to read. I have a bad habit of buying a lot of books and forgetting to read them. Sometimes I pick randomly. I arrived at a book called Station Eleven - a pandemic end of world plot - and exited right out of that one for now.
I keep thinking back on the best books I’ve recently read or am reading that bring me joy, books that are page turners or add a beautiful new perspective on life. I am moving away from some of the heavier emotional literary reads I typically read because it’s a heavy and emotional time. Instead, here’s a list of books that bring me joy and distraction for now.
For Fun
The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simpson - I remember loving this book when it came out. I keep thinking back to it these past few days, and am likely going to read it with a group of friends this month. It’s a lighthearted narrative about an OCD professor embarking on a “wife project” to see out the best match for him, and unexpectedly falls in love along the way. It’s good for a lighter read and a little laugh.
Quichotte, by Salman Rushdie - I had not previously gotten around to read much of Rushdie’s vast and wonderful work. I was also nervous to pick this particular book up, knowing it playfully tackles the opioid epidemic, an issue hitting close to home. I was thrilled to read it. It was playful and hilarious at times. One of my favorite books I’ve read so far in 2020.
Less, by Andrew Sean Greer - This too was a joy to read and so much fun. The pulitzer prize winning book follows a failed author who travels the world and looks back on his lost loves. It moved me to tears and joy at the end.
For Story and Style
Normal People, by Sally Rooney - I also would add first book Conversations with Friends to this list too. Both of her these books were page turners for me. They could be read for the story and style, a unique look at millennial relationships in different situations and playful ways. I really enjoyed them.
Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi - I don’t think another book could stand for page turner to me than this one. I probably read it within 24-48 hours. For those who haven’t read it yet, it’s a thrilling tale set in a West African fantasy where magic disappears and an unlikely friendship forms to help bring it back and overthrow oppression. It’s a fun and fantastic read.
Grand Union, by Zadie Smith - I think this could fall into the fun category for me in many ways. I loved Zadie Smith’s recent short story collection and think that it captures some of the social pains tied to technology in our lives. I often think back to one short story in this collection in particular, the floating river where floating on a river on vacation the parents are also often scrolling through their Facebook feeds. These stories are sharp, witty, and enjoyable.
10 Years and 38 Seconds in This Strange World, by Elif Shafak - Elif Shafak is one of our most masterful storytellers. I only recently discovered her work and am grateful for it. I’m also going through a phase where I am curious to read more globally (outside US/UK). Her latest book 10 Years and 38 Seconds in This Strange World follows the life of a dying stripper, but also tells the stories of a group of strangers, of outcasts, who became friends. This might be how you feel about your roommate right now during pandemic times, either way, it’s a good and a new perspective. I also loved Three Daughters Eve by her.
An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones - A heartbreaking and very well told story of a young couple whose joy is disrupted by a foul and unexpected arrest. Life must go on for the wife who misses her husband in prison, and who returns five years later. A very moving tale that keeps you turning the pages and hoping and fighting for love and resolution.
Black Leopard Red Wolf, by Marlon James - I can’t wait to dive into this book which veers off from our typical narrative forms. It’s an epic fantasy that has been compared to be like Game of Thrones. Set in an enchanted Africa, there is no clear plot at hand. I recently heard an interview with the author where it was described as a book that slows you down and makes you be more present to read. That sounds like what I need right now. It also sounds like a fresh and challenging read.
Heavy an American Memoir, by Kiese Laymon - This was one of the best memoirs that I’ve read in past years. It is extremely heartfelt and moving. Told from the son’s perspective writing to his mother, forgiving her, battling her, and navigating how they survived together and how the body carries with it an emotional and physical weight. It’s healing to read for those who’ve had our own personal trials with parents or might be thinking of them right now.
Hourglass, by Dani Shapiro - Dani Shapiro is also a very talented memoirist. I am picking Hourglass to go back and re-read. I think being cooped up with a partner or lover can bring up joy and also challenges in a relationship. Hourglass is a realistic and loving look at how marriage can evolve and shift over time. It’s a braver topic to write about when most see only beginnings and ends, but not the always evolving middle of a relationship. You might also enjoy many of her books with cover topics of family, religion, meaning, love, and legacy.
For Diaries as Distractions
My Struggle, by Karl Ove Knausgaard- I have always been fascinated by diaries as art. I fell in love reading Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle books that are journal like narratives. Now, I’m listening to them again on audio. There’s something about listening to someone else's day to day that is a complete and welcomed distraction from my own, and there is a beautiful rhythm in his language. This is certainly not a read for everyone but it is one I enjoy and use to distract myself right now. Inside his journals, he talks about family, love, work, alcoholism, death, the role of being a father, of being a writer and an artist. Other diaries I’ve enjoyed over the years include David Sedaris, Anais Nin, and John Cheever.
For the Soul
A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson - I also began this book a while ago and enjoyed it’s thoughtful descriptions of grounding oneself away from fear and into love. This book popped back up on my radar not because she ran for president but because we need less fear and a little more love during pandemic times.
Tiny Beautiful Things, by Cheryl Strayed - Most people have found Cheryl Strayed’s book Wild, a story of her hiking the Pacific crest trail on her own seeking to heal. However, before her big breakout, her essays and writings on The Rumpus were published weekly. These essays were sharp and emotionally moving, sharing stories of resilience and empathy through her Dear Sugar column. Most of these writings have been compiled into a book of essays called Tiny Beautiful Things. You’ll likely find it moving and cathartic to read.
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Vicktor Frankl - How does one survive some of history’s most difficult situations? In Man’s Search for Meaning psychiatrist Vicktor Frank shares how he kept a mindset focused on finding meaning during some of the darkest days of living in a Nazi world war two camp. It’s often a call to find that there is a way through, a meaning, an experience, we can learn from just about everything. Even a stay at home pandemic.
I guess now I’ll turn to my writing for the day.
Wishing you a restful, safe, and book filled week.
-Amanda