‘These stories have given me an insight into the way that lockdown affected people’s lives that goes far beyond anything else I’ve read, heard or seen, and in that regard alone this is a tremendous piece of social anthropology.’ Ian Howe
Are our values and aspirations the same as before the pandemic, or has a microscopic virus changed us forever?
Moving from labour ward to funeral parlour, temple to pub, A. J. Stone examines these questions and more through intimate interviews conducted during and after England’s national lockdowns. From a mother whose neighbours fail to understand why she can’t keep her autistic son quiet to a boxer who succumbs to online gambling when all his sporting events are cancelled, Stone never flinches from the reality her subjects had to face.
These are stories of joy and heartbreak, each presented in their raw, unfiltered glory. Their cumulative impact constitutes a fascinating oral history of our times.
‘A. J. Stone’s approach is so careful and thoughtful, and I particularly love that she lets people speak in their own voices of their own stories.’ Tina Pepler