A Deeper Sickness: Journal of America in the Pandemic Year

University of Alabama historians Peacock, who specializes in media and propaganda, and Peterson, who studies science and medicine, record the tumultuous events of 2020 in this immersive—and frequently blood-boiling—account. In dated entries starting on Jan. 1, 2020, and ending on Jan. 7, 2021, the authors record the first mentions on U.S. disease-tracking websites of an unknown respiratory infection in China, early reassurances from the CDC and media outlets including the New York Times that the flu was a greater danger than Covid-19, the unprecedented spike in unemployment claims after shutdown orders went into effect, the eruption of Black Lives Matter protests following the police killing of George Floyd, and the invasion of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. The authors’ personal reflections are enriched by interviews with public health experts, historians, frontline workers, and even a pair of meth users who shed light on how shutdowns affected the drug market. Though the journal format leaves little room for contextualizing these events, the authors’ diligence and sharp instincts turn up many telling moments, including commerce secretary Wilbur Ross suggesting in January 2020 that “death and disruption in China” would be good for U.S. businesses. The result is a vigorous and clear-eyed first draft of recent history. (Jan.)