The first thing that Plague brought to our town was exile.
It was undoubtedly the feeling of exile–that sensation of
a void which never left us, that irrational longing to hark that
past or else to speed up the march of time…
– The Plague
(Albert Camus)
We are living through strange times, full of dread and anxious anticipation. The collective consciousness of humanity is standing against the deadliness of Coronavirus.
Interestingly, we are braving the global pandemic by keeping ourselves locked at home and socially distant. Something so fictitious that we have actually started to live it. Therefore, we suggest, you take a look at the list of 10 must-read ebooks at Amazon which can, of course, be read at the comfort of your home without spending much as you can avail some attractive offers with the Amazon ebook deals.
1. The Plague by Albert Camus:
If there is one book that you are going to read, during this lockdown, let it be Camus’ eerie meditation on a pestilence, rearing its ugly head in the city of Oran. Strangely enough, this famous existentialist, envisions the inflicting rage of plague, in exactly the way we are living through it. You would be able to touch the chilling indifference of Coronavirus hiding inside the deep crevices of this book. Albert Camus’ The Plague is pertinent than ever. Click here to buy it.
2. Tiny Beautiful Things By Cheryl Strayed:
The chaos of Coronavirus unleashed upon us is surely taking a toll on our mental health and emotional well-being. Have you also been told, to be productive, to beat the hell out of your ‘quarantine blues?’ Well, roll back on your comfy bed and let Chery Strayed tell you why you should just calm down and go through whatever that is you’re going through the moment. The beauty of this book is Strayed’s explicit perspectives, stemming out from her personal experiences that are surely going to comfort you in these troubling times.
3) The Liberation Of Sita By Volga:
Take your mind off the news for a bit and wander into the lush Indian epic, Ramayana’s critical appreciation that deals with the perspective of its female protagonist Sita. The Liberation of Sita has originally been written in Telugu by Volga which was later translated into English by T. Vijay Kumar & C.Vijayasree. This fictitious intersectional feminist novel throws a powerful light on the minor women characters of Ramayana. The message that the Liberation of Sita renders is sublimely universal.
4) 1984 By George Orwell:
It would be a fine day when George Orwell’s 1984 would stop being relevant and find it’s way to almost all the booklists. It’s quite the right time to revisit this modern classic chillingly reciting a dystopian tale of Oceania stifled by an abrasive totalitarian regime. Books like 1984 instill a sense of the present.
5) Devotions: The Selected Poems Of Mary Oliver
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”
– Mary Oliver
The ever-wonderful poet Mary Oliver would take over your sense of dread and anxiety as you swim through the softness of her poems. In these trying times, feed your soul, the comfort of poetry. Poems give hope. Poems give strength. Also, more often than not poems, save lives. Whirl to tunes of Mary Oliver’s Devotions which has a few of her best-selected poems.
6) Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End Of The World By Haruki Murakami:
One of the under-appreciated works of the beloved writer Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End Of The World would grab you by your collar and take you to the surreal world of Haruki Murakami like never before. This is a perfect book that should be read while you are inside fighting an elusive deadly virus yourself.
7) Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury:
Isn’t it a bit Kafkaesque to read a book about books? Well, the famous Ray Bradbury dystopian novel sends chills down your spine when you stroll into a world where books are being burnt to ashes. Quite a thought for, end of the world. Books like these from the past should be read to acquire a sense of the present or maybe a distant future. As we read fiction for something inexplicably real. Bradbury would agree.
8) Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone By J.K. Rowling:
Can we please go back to basics in these dark times? J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the most comforting read of all time. Times when Harry found out he was a wizard and needed to fight Voldemort to save the world. If Coronavirus had a face would it look, anything like Voldemort? Surely crueler.
9) The Lonely City: Adventures Of Art Of Being Alone By Olivia Laing:
The Pandemic has pushed us into the void of loneliness, where the only way to survive is to be alone. Olivia Laing meditates on the absurdity of loneliness through the eyes of America’s artists who had borne the brunt of loneliness all their lives and created art out of it. Let Laing slowly unveil the beauty of loneliness.
10) Naked Voices: Stories and Sketches By Saadat Hasan Manto
Saadat Hasan Manto is easily one of the greatest short story writers of all time. He shared his roots in India and Pakistan, writing piercing tales about the sections of society that were often being forgotten and even abhorred by the privileged classes. Each of his stories feels like a punch in the humane gut. If you want to witness the stark nakedness of society, then turn to Manto, for he’d tell you, that the humans have been robbed of their humanity. Go and read the ebook version of Naked Voices now.
Conclusion:
We have listed ten must-read ebooks that you can read at the convenience of your screen. Each book touches a sense of love, hope, unity, and exemplary humanity. Things we desperately need right now. Amazon books comprise fiction, memoirs, social commentary to poetry can be browsed to pick amazing books at the most feasible price. While you take good care of yourself during this global pandemic, take deep breaths, peep into the blanket of time and travel through books.