A Journal of the Plague Year

by Daniel Defoe
271 pgs

A Journal of the Plague Year is Daniel Defoe's novel depicting the Great Plague of London, which book place in 1665. The book reads just like a journal, and I understand that for some time, the book was categorized as non-fiction, even though he published it in 1722, nearly 60 years after the events he wrote about.

I didn't know much about the book before reading it, but having enjoyed Robinson Crusoe as much as I did, I thought this one was as good an opportunity as any to read something else by Defoe. At the time it was written, Defoe intended it to serve as a warning, of the things both to do and not to do, in the event of a plague. The plague was in Marseilles at the time, and there were fears it would cross into England at the time. Defoe hoped his account of the 1665 plague would help limit its spread, if it did.

Today the significance of the book is the detailed account of life in London in the 17th century, as well as the insight into the inexplicable start and ending of the plague that killed almost a quarter of London's population within 18 months. Today we understand the conditions that resulted in the plague, as well as how it spread and how it can be treated. But back then, it was all attributed to the will of God.

The book is an interesting read, but not what I would call riveting. It didn't have the same appeal Robinson Crusoe had, no sense of adventure or the constant problem-solving dilemmas Crusoe faced, but the book had its own appeal. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who has an affinity for history and/or highly-contagious, deadly diseases.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆