Covid Chronicles: How Essential Workers Cope by Dr. Therese Zink

An unfiltered glimpse into the minds, struggles, failures, and joys of frontline workers who have faced Covid-19 across the world, Covid Chronicles by Dr. Therese Zink is a compassionate and eye-opening collection of real-life stories about the current moment.

From a methodical exploration of PPE and the physical discomforts of a hospital battlefield, to the desperation of group home caretakers and the systemic racism that reared its head so often during this pandemic, these stories are remarkably engaging. Based on a series of interviews, there are lighthearted moments of resilience between overworked doctors, as well as painful introductions to mortality and gut-wrenching reports of family grief. This pandemic has given humanity a common enemy, and these heartfelt stories capture that sense of camaraderie and unity.

Over the past year, Covid has dominated our attention, but this book zooms in on the microcosm, not waxing catastrophic about the global impact, but showing individual journeys in a compelling light. This type of documentation is essential, and Zink does an admirable job of compiling stories from most every angle. Even the detail-heavy sections feel important, and the slight tweaks in style for each story keep the pace fresh and unpredictable.

While it may feel too soon to immerse in the subject when the world is still muddling through, there is wisdom, humanity, and inspiration to be found here, both in the present and when it’s finally time to look back.