A book about the coronavirus story is the subject of today’s post. by John C. A. Manley, an author and writer from Stratford Ontario who was a recent guest on The Yakking Show – his episode will be published on Tuesday 9 August.
John has a long history of writing for medical publications and other media but has always aspired to be an author. He recently published his first book “Much Ado About Corona: A Dystopian Love Story.”
With John’s concerns about our (and most) governments’ overreach and irrational reaction to the coronavirus, he was preaching to the converted when talking about his book to me.
I read the book soon after publication. I enjoyed John’s writing style and I found his characters so realistic, that at times I thought he was recording the actions and words of people I knew or public figures I had observed in the media.
The book aroused two distinct emotions in me. Enjoyment of the rich word pictures he so vividly painted and anger at the injustice, discrimination and actual harm that his characters were suffering in the same way as real people in our society. His description of the mistreatment and abuse of elderly relatives in care homes was exactly that described to me by friends with elderly relatives in similar institutions.
A Book About The Coronavirus
By writing about a book about the coronavirus, I urge you to read the book yourself. Because I don’t want to spoil the pleasure of getting to know the characters yourself, I am not going to mention them by name. I can assure you though that you will recognize them from members of your family, work colleagues, friends, officials or others who may no longer speak to you because your views about the virus conflict with theirs.
Whichever side of the fence you are on, or even if you are an uncertain and undecided fence sitter, you should read the book, it will give you a good perspective on how disastrous the government policies have been for millions of people. A perspective that you will not gain from mainstream print, audio, or visual media.
Running through the story like a warm current of benevolence is a thread of emerging romance, love, loyalty, compassion, bravery, and a desire to do the right thing no matter the cost. The poignant human touches often come when least expected and in a heartening counterpoint to the oppression and cruelty of the little tyrants wearing uniforms – and others who do not but who should know better.
Readers who do not live in or who have not traveled to Ontario or the Northern states of the USA will be rewarded with exquisite descriptions of ice hockey on frozen rivers, small town life, snow-covered roads and so much more that are typical of Canadian winters.
John also publishes an interesting and amusing weekly newsletter, you can subscribe here.
For new visitors, you can read my story here, it may help you understand why I am concerned about governments that abandon the rule of law.
