Destination: Isolation - Books to Read in Quarantine
Nov 28, 2020 by Martin Vogt
Let’s be real: Being under self-quarantine during the coronavirus outbreak is proving to be incredibly monotonous. Even browsing the web and watching Netflix episodes gets a bit dull after a while.
The silver lining of being stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic is getting to cozy up with a good book - especially one that will encourage you to think about the world from new perspectives.
So why not become an armchair traveler instead? I’ve done the hard part—rounding up some book recommendations I wanted to share with you while self-isolating and quarantining at home:
1. A PROMISED LAND
This book will be absolute “must reading” for students of politics, history, or just those of us who want to remember a pivotal era in history.
You can purchase A PROMISED LAND here
“The Plague” is one of the most well-known books on the topic of epidemic disease and right now it’s on the reading lists of many. The novel follows the efforts of a doctor to contain the spread of a plague in the North African town of Oran. Although it is sometimes considered to be an allegory of the Nazi occupation of France it is also a story about how humans react in the face of adversity and tragedy.
It conveys how important it is to retain our humanity and our sense of connection to others in times when so much is at stake.
You can purchase The Plague here
From two of the team members behind the 99% Invisible podcast — host Roman Mars and producer Kurt Kohlstedt — comes a written and illustrated field guide to the unnoticed, yet essential, elements of cities, with deeply researched entries on everything from power grids to street signs.
Beautifully written, illustrated, designed, and bound - it is a wonderful experience to hold, read, and remember.
Once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop.
You can purchase The 99% Invisible City here
The light, space, and privacy of desert landscapes have long inspired architects to design the types of homes you’d never see in any other climate. This visually stunning tour of the world’s most amazing desert homes will inspire you to create an oasis with “desert vibes” wherever you are incl. self-isolation!
You can purchase Oasis: Modern Desert Homes Around the Word here
A soulful tour of Palestinian cooking today from the executive chef of London’s famous Mediterranean Ottolenghi restaurants.
Read this, and you might just look at the microbes around you in a fresh and even positive light.
Also, wash your hands and don’t touch your face/eyes. :-)
You can purchase FALASTIN here
Faces of individual human beings, some with fairly detailed revelations about themselves, are an open door to life around the world. I have never traveled much and it doesn't seem likely in the foreseeable future, so this is both a fun way to visit faraway lands and a welcome escape from the chaos that is 2020.
You can purchase HUMANS here
Ready to start reading? Why not use this time of uninterrupted reading as an opportunity to learn something new? What's on your "to read if I end up going into quarantine" list?
Let’s try to stay positive and hope that everyone stays healthy and safe during these sometimes, lonely and isolated days.
Please take care of yourselves.
Martin Vogt
✭Explore. Dream. Discover.✭