Reviews

Virology: Essays for the Living, the Dead, and the Small Things in Between by Joseph Osmundson

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hannkelley's review against another edition

5.0

I’ve avoided reading anything pandemic related until now because why would I want to read about the dumpster fire we still can’t seem to put out? This collection of essays made me question why we even need fiction when stories about real life like this exist and are written with such care and tenderness and vulnerability. I don’t want to even try to explain what this book is about because I don’t want to spoil how someone else might experience it. I just know that I saw myself and so many people I love in the pages (and so many people that I knew nothing about). And the ways we cared for each other during literal uncertain times. And how all of that collective care gets replaced with “the kids are so behind!” and “the economy will never recover!”

greyemk's review against another edition

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Early dnf. As an epidemiologist and lifelong virus nerd I’m pretty particular about this topic and this did not deliver for me as a reader

bookiecharm's review against another edition

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This really wasn’t what I expected it to be. Although there is a through line of the virus theme, the essays still feel scattered. I’d pick and choose which essays to read and which to skip over. I’m also very particular about Covid nonfiction and how writers choose to writing about it.