AlexandriaLibraryVA discussion

I came across my husband's copy of The Stand the other day, which made me think about reading pandemic or dystopian books during this time. I don't think it's for me, but normally I love a good dystopian book. These are my top five, should anyone be in the mood for one.
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton
The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

Are you a fan of dystopia fiction? What have you been reading lately? I hear from lots of people that they can't concentrate on anything right now.

If you'd like personalized recommendations (pandemic or otherwise), try our Book Match service. Tell us five books you liked and we'll send you a list of five more. An Alexandria library card is not required!

Two that I read because you recommended them are:

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Life as We Knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer

I am also a sucker for

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Unless Peter Pan counts, I don't read dystopian fiction. Every newspaper article about 45* is dystopian enough. But I just started Station Eleven, after reading something (not enough) about it. Now I think I "read" (it's the audio version) enough to put it on my Read Later list ; ).

Dena wrote: "Unless Peter Pan counts, I don't read dystopian fiction. Every newspaper article about 45* is dystopian enough. But I just started Station Eleven, after reading something (not enough) about it. Now..."
It's not for everyone, during a pandemic or not! Are you reading Peter Pan for the first time? I just started reading it to my kids.

Katherine wrote: "Two that I read because you recommended them are:

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Life as We Knew it by..."
The Age of Miracles almost made my list, and I also considered her new one, The Dreamers. And I can't believe I forgot the Susan Beth Pfeiffer series! Maybe I need a second list...

Jessica wrote: "Dena wrote: "Unless Peter Pan counts, I don't read dystopian fiction. Every newspaper article about 45* is dystopian enough. But I just started Station Eleven, after reading something (not enough) ..."
I read maybe 10 years ago. I was surprised (silly me) at the different feeling I got from the book (or was it written as a play?) than from watching Mary Martin as Peter Pan on tv when I was maybe 5 years old. But have a video of it, so watched it more recently than 65 years ago : ) When I read it, I thought this is reallly not for children.

Dena wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Dena wrote: "Unless Peter Pan counts, I don't read dystopian fiction. Every newspaper article about 45* is dystopian enough. But I just started Station Eleven, after reading somethi..."
We are reading an abridged version; maybe I will have to read the original myself. We've only seen the Disney movie which I'm sure is heavily edited from Barrie's story.

Thanks for the great suggestions.

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. A time traveler gets stuck during the 14th century Black Death.

Mary-jane wrote: "Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. A time traveler gets stuck during the 14th century Black Death."
I love this Connie Willis! To Say Nothing of the Dog is also worth a read.

I enjoyed Connie Willis’ To say Nothing of the Dog... too and it sent me to read Three Men in a Boat, the book it was based on. Blackout and All Clear, two linked time travel books of hers were excellent, too.

Mary-jane wrote: "I enjoyed Connie Willis’ To say Nothing of the Dog... too and it sent me to read Three Men in a Boat, the book it was based on. Blackout and All Clear, two linked time travel books of hers were exc..."
Yes! I love her time travel stuff, some of her others have been less enjoyable. I haven't read Three Men in a Boat yet.

Station Eleven I read several years ago and loved it. I read the audio, immediately read it a second time, and a third time later that year. I think there are only a handful of books I have read three times and never in the same year. One of my favorite things about it was that it had a gentler tone, not focused on the horror of the pandemic.
Similar in tone was A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World which I read in Jan and really liked.
When Covid reached the US, I listened to Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them which I found fascinating, most especially the chapter on the 1918 pandemic.
I also loved Doomsday Book which led me to her other time travel books. I didn't like any of the others as well.

Elaine Cook wrote: "Station Eleven I read several years ago and loved it. I read the audio, immediately read it a second time, and a third time later that year. I think there are only a handful of book..."
Thanks, Elaine! Three times in one year is definitely a sign of a good book. The only book I remember reading more than once in the same year was Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
I'm going to check out Get Well Soon and A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World.

There was an article about pandemic reading in the NY Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/17/bo...

Thanks for the link. Lots of titles added to my TBR list.