WAMU 88.5 : The Diane Rehm Show

Readers' Review: "Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague" By Geraldine Brooks

Geraldine Brooks is no stranger to war zones. The journalist-turned-author once covered Bosnia and the Middle East for The Wall Street Journal. And Brooks’ understanding of human suffering is evident in her first novel. In it, she spins a real-life horror story into a tale of fragile hope. “Year of Wonders” fictionalizes the true account of villagers in seventeenth-century Eyam, England. They voluntarily quarantined their plague-infested town to prevent the disease from spreading. Brooks’ storyteller is a young maid who aids the village rector in his mission to contain the plague. Join Diane and her guests for our October Readers’ Review of Geraldine Brooks' novel, "Year of Wonders."

Read An Excerpt

Reprinted by arrangement with Penguin books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., from Year Of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. Copyright © 2001 by Geraldine Brooks.

NPR

Fictional 'Mothers' Reveal Facts Of A Painful Adoption Process

After years trying to conceive, novelist Jennifer Gilmore and her husband decided to adopt. What they thought would be a relatively simple process was instead a long and painful one. In her latest novel, Gilmore channels these autobiographical experiences into fiction.
NPR

In Raw Milk Case, Activists See Food Freedom On Trial

Activists say the case against Wisconsin dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger is about raw milk — and much more. His supporters have turned the case into a rallying cry for personal food freedom and the rights of farmers and consumers to enter into private contracts without government intervention.
NPR

Obama Group's Climate Push Puts President Under Scrutiny

Organizing for Action — a group that formed out of President Obama's re-election campaign — has focused its ire on Republicans it calls "climate change deniers." But some environmentalists are frustrated with the president himself on issues like the Keystone pipeline.
NPR

How That 'Nigerian Email Scam' Got Started

You've probably seen it in your inbox before: Someone who claims to have come into a fortune needs your help. You can share in the profits — if you send along a deposit or your bank account number. Boston Globe correspondent Finn Brunton talks about the history of the "Nigerian prince" or "419" scam, which actually got its start long before email.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.