What We're Reading: And We Came Outside and Saw the Stars Again

 

What We’re Reading: a series where we, your librarians, share what we're reading this week. A post from Harry.

A new addition to the Conshy Library's collection, And We Came Outside and Saw the Stars Again is an anthology featuring writers from all over the world responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. With contributions from over 50 global authors, this book collects deeply personal reactions to the pandemic yet remind us that the pandemic is a shared experience, that even in our isolation we are not alone.

This collection ranges from personal essay to poetry, from Mauritius to Canada, juxtaposing genre and location. It offers a global view of the unfolding tragedy, reminding us that we are all in this together as we hunker down and do our best to keep others safe. 

One of the more provocative pieces is by the Sudanese writer Khalid Albaih who asks that the reader reflect on what privilege hides behind the phrases "new normal" and "old normal".  He reminds us that there are people in places around the world that live everyday under lockdown because of geopolitical conflicts out of their control. A more poignant story talks about a child who falls in love with Jane Goodall and her chimpanzee friends during quarantine. A poem talks about a pile of books that the narrator cannot force himself to read. 

Most of the selections were written during the early months of lockdown, between March and May of this year. Reading them now, it is interesting to reflect on how our understanding of the virus has changed, as well as our ability to cope with "the new normal". Uncertainty is one of the underlying themes that connect all the works, and while much is still uncertain, vaccines are being administered for the first time across the United States. The light at the end of the tunnel that so many of these writers are hoping for is finally arriving.

While some might want to put more space between them and the pandemic before reading, I found it therapeutic to read this anthology. I'd highly recommend this for high school age and above. Anyone will find something that they connect with in this collection, and connection has never been more important.