11 Books for Quarantine
For the Scary Side of Quarantine
11. The Shining -Stephen King
– If Cabin fever was a book…I think we can all relate to Jack Torrance going a little mad when he brings his family to a haunted hotel, to serve as caretaker. This is easily one of my favourite horror reads.
10. Misery – Stephen King
– Another King because hey, the man knows horror. Misery is a classic example of the fine line between fan and fanatic. The book features an author who is held captive by his biggest fan…who happens to have a dark secret. Imagine being hauled up in a cabin with no escape…kind of sounds like Quarantine;)
If you need some hope..and a laugh!
9. The Humans -Matt Haig
– This was actually one of the first books to get me back into reading in high school and it’s also one of my favourites! The story focuses on an alien sent to earth to gain info on humans. He’s forced to stay with a family and learns first hand how complex people really are. It’s a really touching story about what it means to be human and it’s also really funny to see how another species views life on earth.
8. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey
-So this book is just amazing and another one of my favourites, especially if you love books from the beatnik era. The story is about making the best of being stuck in a terrible situation..SOUND FAMILIAR? The story takes place in a psychiatric ward overseen by the cruel Nurse Ratched. She wants order and submission, but a new patient arrives and takes on the role of leader to the other patients, showing them how to stick up for themselves and stand up to Nurse Ratched. He’s a rebel WITH a cause and reminds the guys the importance of individuality and laughter. Although the book is often dark at times it’s also inspiring and is so well written!
7. The Princess Bride – Willam Goldman
-Because this book is the perfect escape fairytale for kids, teens, and adults alike. Everyone should read this book at least once in their lives if they just want a nice, light comedy to make them smile. If you’ve seen the movie you know this bedtime story has everything: princesses, stable boys, giants, evil kings, swordsmen, exotic locations…it’s truly iconic. The closest to a vacation you can get without leaving your couch!
Non Fictions: Real Stories of Isolation #Relatable
6. The Stranger in the Woods – Michael Finkel
This book, ooof it hits hard! Where Into The Wild had this inspiring optimism of living off the land, this book kind of shows the other side of leaving society, when you are truly an introvert. Christopher Knight abandons society at twenty years old to go live in the woods in a tent. It’s a series of thought provoking interviews about what solitude really means and why someone would want to live that way. It’s really interesting when you hear what he has to say because much of his reasoning really makes sense, but in a society that force-feeds constant connection and socialization the idea of complete solitude seems so foreign. An excellent read, I would highly recommend!
5. Walden – Henry David Thoreau
– This book is a staple for those outdoorsy types with a craving to live alone in the woods, hence why it’s so heavily reference in Into The Wild. Walden is a philosophical retelling of HDT’s time spent in isolation in a cabin on Walden Pond. The book was written in 1854 so it certainly reads like classic lit, if you know what I mean… there are some really dense chapters but It’s an interesting piece to better understand why this idea of solitude and being in nature is so alluring, and certainly inspo that still rings true today: think of all the van-lifers and minimalists!
4. The Glass Castle – Jeanette Walls
– so this one’s for all those stuck in isolation with your very eccentric families. This memoir is fantastic and for those of you currently reading Educated this is very similar. Coming from a family that really does not abide by societal norms can be difficult, but at they end of the day they are your family! Growing up in poverty with dysfunctional parents, but rising above it to become a best selling writer…it’s a story we see all the time now, but this one is definitely one the best in my opinion:)
AND of course Dystopian Reads, because afterall, Covid19 is basically a Black Mirror Episode...
3. The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
– A classic read, from a great Canadian Author. To be honest I didn’t love this book when I first read it, I just remember it being very dark and kind of strange…but then I started watching the TV show which is AMAZING so I’m going to give it another go for sure. Seemed fitting to include a novel where society has all gone to shit and women are basically only used as breeding stock…the main relatable feature here is the new society is governed with so many new strict laws and rules, that in many ways take away common forms of socializing, recreation, and freedom… so it’s basically quarantine!
2. 1984 – George Orwell
-more classic lit set in the ‘future’ of 1984. Similar to Handmaid’s tale the new society is run by government, surveillance and under many strict rules. History is being re-written and monitored by Thought Police, whom our protagonist Winston works for. After beginning a secret relationship (recreational sex is illegal) with a coworker, Winston flirts with the idea of rebelling against the leaders known as ‘The Party’. There’s a lot of underlying political themes but you’ll just have to give it a read to find out more.
1. The Road – Cormac McCarthy
– a brutally dark novel set in a post apocalyptic future in which a Father must protect his child from the harsh winters and cannibals. It sounds a bit out there, but could you possibly imagine a society struck by panic and fighting for supplies?…. I’M LOOKING AT YOU TOILET PAPER PANIC BUYERS;)