If you didn’t get the joke in the title then you need to find a copy of Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel Garcias Marquez right now. We also think that Love In The Time of Corona would make for a pretty good book, too. Anyways, Marquez’s novel tells the story of Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza. It is a complicated tale of love, marriage, loss and heartbreak in a way that Marquez was capable of writing. It offers a doorway to another time and place, like most books do.
We agree with everyone and their brother who are suggesting finding an escape into fictional worlds. Even non-fiction will help you feel more empowered through better understanding of whatever topic you are delving into.
Luckily if you don’t have a book you are reading right now, you can always order one online from That Al Salasil or Jarir. Or you can just get an ebook which will arrive at a screen near you in mere seconds after you hit SUBMIT.
You don’t even need to purchase a book. There are thousands of free ebooks (totally legit) on the internet. Project Gutenberg is one of the internet’s oldest and biggest online libraries. The Internet Archive’s Open LIbrary is another great one too.
If you are blanking or need somewhere to start, here is our short list of really fun or thought provoking reads, depending on your choice.
Five Feet Apart
Stella is a cystic fibrosis patient who has had to spend most of her time in hospitals. She has to live a life of discipline to make sure she doesn’t get sicker. Then she meets Will, and is instantly captured by his charm, but he is also a patient. And they need to stay five-feet apart so neither of them get hurt. Puts our current state of social distancing in perspective.
World War Z
The Zombie War really happened and it almost wiped out humanity. Max Brooks, is driven by the need of preserving history and making sure he hears, collects and documents survivors’ stories. He travels across the United states of America to find them for the testimonies of the people who faced the undead. Think you would survive a Zombie apocalypse? Read this next and find out in this Choose Your Own Adventure book.
Good Omens
Yes we know that you can just stream the series, but the book is a pleasure to read. A mixup at birth, a fallen angel, a fabulously dressed demon and all kinds of weird chaos are just some of the ingredients that make up this book. Oh and did we mention the impending apocalypse? Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett spin a tale that will leave you laughing out loud.
China Syndrome
This isn’t our first outbreak, but it is the first time the entire world has been affected at this scale. Still, it is always encouraging when you realize that humans have persevered through the worst of times. China Syndrome, covers the SARS outbreak in 2003. At the time, Kari Taro Greenfeld was the editor of Time Asia in Hong Kong and found himself thrust into the story of a lifetime.
The Ghost Map
Despite being one of the world’s first modern cities, London was still not ready for cholera. There was no garbage removal as we know it today. And even the clean water and sewage systems we take for granted today were still not in place. So when cholera hit the city, it exploded. The book looks at how the disease spread and how the city rose.
Bonus Tip: Why not start a #socialdistancingbookclub? You and your friends can read the same book and then discuss it for some sorely needed social interaction.
Do you have an interesting suggestion to add to our list? Drop us an email or DM us on Instagram. Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
