A Deeper Sickness

A Deeper Sickness

Adult nonfiction
"Journalists and scholars are already uncovering the missteps
made by those in power in early 2020 that failed to contain SARS-CoV-2
once it appeared in the US. In this book, in which we follow America
as eyewitnesses to the tumult of the entire year, we are after a
different question: Is there something in the character of the place,
the bones of America, that made the layers of tragedy that unfolded in
2020 practically unavoidable."
Of the books concerning the pandemic that I've reviewed since
they started coming out Margeret Peackock and Eric L. Peterson's A
Deeper Sickness: Journal of America in the Pandemic Year has become my
new favorite for the purpose of reviewing for this blog. Some of the
more science analytical ones have appealed to my inner geek. But
this book is the one which I believe will appeal to the broadest swath
of readers. It's blessedly jargon free. It sees the events of 2020
as evidence of four simultaneous pandemics (disease, disinformation,
poverty, and violence) rather than one. The material is presented in
the way we experienced it--one day at a time. And for folks who want
more information there is an on line treasure trove.
A Deeper Sickness came into being through a truly fortunate
coincidence. Peacock and Peterson are both professional historians.
Her area of expertise is propoganda. She had started doing research
for a class on the history of media and propoganda. His area of
expertise is science and medicine. He began following the pandemic at
a very early stage in its emergence for a class on the global history
of epidemics. Later as institutions of higher education went online
they were able to merge projects.
The journal that became the book was mostly written in real
time. Every day the authors consumed hundreds of online pieces by
people across the political spectrum. This was complemented by
interviews with both experts in different domains and "regular folks"
who had heartbreaking experiences to share. This format has an
immediacy and intimacy that recreates a sense of having endured 2020.
I think the preservation of this narrative is really important.
When we move far enough beyond a terrible event there is a tendency to
deny or minimize it. Just look at the number of people who are saying
the Holocaust never happened. If we forget or water down the lessons
of the current pandemic and fail to make necessary reforms we'll be
again helpless in the face of the next disaster--viral or otherwise.
On a purrrsonal note, it's only a couple of weeks until the Poor
People's campaign event in Washington DC. It turns out that part of
me will be going with my group. My words. Pastor Malcolm has asked
me for some of my poems for them to share. So I'll be with them in
spirit though not in person. The evils the campaign is addressing
have a great deal to do with a huge number of people (especially Black
people) dying of COVID. If everyone had decent (or any kind of)
housing, access to decent food and health care, and all the other
basics that are out of the reach for so many that PPC is teaching us
need to be guaranteed human rights so many people wouldn't have died.
And if we fail to change many more will die needlessly in the next
public health crisis. (Jules)
She will be where she belongs, home with her best little cat in the
world, namely moi. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the group as they get ready for the
journey.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway




Sent from my iPod