As our nation shuts down from a virus—and each other, we have extra time for writing (if not too stressed) and reading (to help us relax and focus our minds elsewhere.)

I have a short list of books to recommend that seem especially appropriate for this surreal span of time:

1) “Fever” by Mary Beth Keane. This is historical fiction, set during the typhoid outbreak in 1900s New York. The novel is in the point of view of Typhoid Mary Mallon, who was suspected of being a carrier, although she never fell ill with typhoid. The novel looks at Mary’s flouting of quarantine laws as well as possible prejudice and misunderstanding by the authorities regarding the facts of her case.

2) “Mary Toft; or, The Rabbit Queen” by Dexter Palmer. It’s the weirdness factor of this historical fiction novel that merits inclusion on my booklist for surreal times. A poor woman in rural England, in 1726 gives birth 17 times to rabbits—not cute bunnies who scamper from beneath her skirts, but mutilated adult rabbits, thus horrifying medical witnesses. News of the phenomenon spreads to London, and King George sends medical experts to verify and puzzle out this unexplainable freak of nature.

3) “Shout” is an anthology of resistance writings published in Oregon by Not a Pipe Publishing. This seems a good time to embrace resistance, not only to disease, but to authoritarian leaders and other degradations of a civilized world.

4) My 15-year old grandson recommends “1984” by George Orwell for those who haven’t read it—or for re-reading. The dystopian novel parallels our times in many ways and warns of totalitarian regimentation, mass surveillance, and brazenly misleading terminology (aka lies and fake news.) The book is relevant to what is happening in the U.S. since 2017 and what could further unfold to restrict the freedoms we cherish.

5) Joshua Keating, staff writer and editor at “Slate” magazine, recommends a dystopian novel for the Social Distancing Era. I haven’t read it but am passing along the following recommendation for something to read when so many facets of our daily lives are disappearing. The book is “The Memory Police” by Yoko Ogawa.

6) "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. During this enforced quarantine, there will be plenty of time to read the 1243 pages of this unabridged 19th century novel. And it's a page-turner at that! "Wait and hope" becomes the motto of an innocent man in isolated imprisonment for 14 years. Maybe this should be a motto for us today.