Folger Book Club:
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
Our September book club selection looks at a frequently banned book about a plague year in 17th-century England.
Booking and details
Dates Thu, Sep 5, 2024, 6:30pm
Tickets Free, Registration required
Duration 6:30pm - 8:00pm (ET)
Our September 2024 Pick
Year of Wonders
by Geraldine Brooks
When an infected bolt of cloth carries plague from London to an isolated village, a housemaid named Anna Frith emerges as an unlikely heroine and healer.
Through Anna’s eyes we follow the story of the fateful year of 1666, as she and her fellow villagers confront the spread of disease and superstition.
As death reaches into every household and villagers turn from prayers to murderous witch-hunting, Anna must find the strength to confront the disintegration of her community and the lure of illicit love.
As she struggles to survive and grow, a year of catastrophe becomes instead annus mirabilis, a “year of wonders.”
Inspired by the true story of Eyam, a village in the rugged hill country of England, Year of Wonders is a richly detailed evocation of a singular moment in history.
Why did we choose this?
The Folger Shakespeare Library’s collection explores not only Shakespeare’s life and works, but also the plays’ historical context, source material, critical and performance histories, and the ways in which they inspire and are adapted by contemporary novelists. Folger Book Club explores connections between contemporary fiction and the Folger’s mission, collection, and programming.
Year of Wonders was named one of the most banned books from 2010-2019 by the American Library Association. It’s subject matter concerns plague, a constant concern in Shakespeare’s time, while it’s status as a banned book support our “Whose Democracy?” season, asking questions about censorship and education.
About the Book Club
Our informal Book Club is free and open to all. Our picks range from historical fiction to adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, encompassing a wide variety of genres—all sourced from a different local, independent bookstore partner each month.
Each session begins with a guest speaker exploring that month’s pick and highlighting items from the Folger collection related to the plot and themes of the novel. After the presentation, participants will be broken into smaller groups for breakout discussions, moderated by a team of staff and volunteers.
Content transparency
Year of Wonders includes potentially sensitive subjects. Expand below for a full list of content (may contain spoilers).
- Child death
- Violence against women
- Detailed descriptions of traumatic births,
- Painful death
- Self-harm
Guest Speaker
Beatrice Bradley
Beatrice Bradley is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Minnesota. Her research brings together early modern literature, critical theory, and the health humanities to rethink both the materiality and psychology of embodiment. She is currently a long-term fellow at the Folger Shakespeare Library, where she is working on a book project that charts the literary aftermath of an early modern plague known as the Sweating Sickness. Recent publications have appeared or are forthcoming in English Literary Renaissance, Milton Studies, Shakespeare Studies, and the edited-collection The Kinky Renaissance (ACMRS Press).
This month, we are excited to partner again with Kramers, the first bookstore/café in Washington DC.
In addition to possessing a lively, convivial atmosphere, and a full-service bar, Kramers stages hundreds of book-related events each year, both in the store and elsewhere. From tourists to neighbors, college students to the political elite, there is something for everyone at Kramers! Learn more at kramers.com.
We would like to thank the following organization for its generous support of this program
