Personally, I’m a bit of an escapist, but for those of you who feel like reading about it here are some of the best books featuring plagues. From Daniel Defoe’s memoir from the 1665 bubonic plague to Stephen King’s The Stand where no less the 99% (!) of the population dies there should be something for every brave reader here.

A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe (1722) – a memoir from 1665 when the bubonic plague ravaged through London from the author of Robinson Crusoe.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (2003) – Atwood’s ability to look into the future never fails to astonish me.

The Plague by Albert Camus (1947) – Camus’ portrayal of a plague separates the human wheat from the chaff.

The Andromea Strain by Michael Crichton (1995) – expect a nail-biting biological sci-fi thriller from the author of Jurassic Park.

The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe (1842) – a short-story in which a group of noblemen isolate themselves in an abbey to escape the Red Death only to be visited by a contagious intruder from outside the walls.

The Stand by Stephen King (1978) – the master of horror conjures up a story of biological weapons gone wrong resulting in the death of 99% of the world’s population. At 1200 pages, this should hopefully take you to the end of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Enjoy! (if that’s the word…)