Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks Summary
Overview of Year of Wonders
When plague ravages an English village in 1665, one woman's extraordinary courage emerges. "Year of Wonders" - Geraldine Brooks's bestselling debut that became eerily prophetic during COVID-19, showing how history's darkest moments reveal humanity's surprising capacity for sacrifice, resilience and transformation.
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Key takeaways
A Village Besieged by Invisible Death
In the autumn of 1665, death arrived in a tailor's bundle. The quiet Derbyshire mining village of Eyam would soon face an unimaginable choice that would echo through centuries. For young widow Anna Frith, struggling to raise two small boys after her husband's death in the mines, life had finally begun to improve. Her lodger George Viccars, a journeyman tailor, brought both income and unexpected warmth to her cottage, forming a bond with her son Jamie and awakening feelings Anna thought long buried. Then came the fever. George's face blotched with rose-like rings, a massive yellow-purple lump on his neck. Despite his pleas for her to leave lest she catch his "foul contagion," Anna stayed by his side. His dying words-"Burn it all!"-would haunt her when she realized the plague had arrived in cloth from London. Within weeks, the disease claimed Anna's baby Tom, who leaked blood in his final hours, and threatened her remaining son Jamie as a painful swelling developed in his armpit. What makes this story so haunting is how familiar it now feels. The initial denial, the desperate search for explanations, the painful isolation-these echo our modern pandemic experiences. Yet the villagers of Eyam faced these trials without modern medicine or communication, armed only with their courage and community bonds. As death moved through their homes with terrifying randomness, they would soon make a decision that would define them for all time.
The Fateful Quarantine
When Fear Finds Its Scapegoats
The Crucible of Character
Between Faith and Reason
The Strength of Women
Rebirth Through Fire
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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