People have been turning to literature to understand the current coronavirus and public reaction to it. Camus’ The Plague and Defoe’s A Journal of the Plague Year have been mentioned. Of course in Irish history the Great Famine comes to mind, and there is an interesting clip from Bryan Fanning, a University College Dublin professor, about the influence the economist Malthus may or may not have had on British response to the famine that can be found on YouTube if you search for “Malthus & The Irish Famine.”
The Great Famine is mentioned briefly in my book with regard to prescient observations by the novelist Samuel Lover ahead of the disaster. Contemporary playwright Tom Murphy addresses the subject head-on in his play Famine. The siege and bunker mentality that has taken hold during this virus also brings to mind a novel by the tragically alcoholic novelist John O’Brien called The Assault on Tony’s about people taking shelter in a bar while a race riot rages outside.
Eavan Boland, who sadly died this week, wrote one of the most powerful poems about the Great Famine. It’s called “Quarantine.” You can find it on Poets.org and clips of her reading it and other poems online. I was lucky enough to hear her speak publicly a few years back in D.C., and one of her remarks from that appearance is included in a footnote in my book.