Stories of Isolation, Humor, and Survival in the Early Days of COVID
By Dennis W. Davis
“This is a book about traveling amidst a global pandemic.”
In Diary from a Pandemic: Part One, Dennis W. Davis delivers a sharp, grounded, and often surprisingly funny chronicle of life lived during the COVID-19 pandemic—when movement slowed, rules blurred, and every meal felt a little more sacred. Opening in rural Vietnam, where the author and his family experience lockdown through a blend of ancient traditions and modern improvisations, the book traces a life paused in motion, yet still rich with discovery.
“It’s almost uncomfortably pleasant here… As a bit of a novelty as an American, I’m not allowed to do much.”
Through vivid portraits of daily rituals, village wanderings, and cross-cultural connection, Davis explores how the rhythms of life shifted across 39 days of isolation and beyond. From tending livestock to preparing a birthday feast of grilled sausage and fried chicken, the book documents not just survival—but adaptation and unexpected joy.
“It doesn’t get any purer than this.”
“It’s a veritable garden of Eden.”
Equal parts travel memoir, social observation, and philosophical reflection, Part One is a deeply personal account of a global event—told with warmth, humor, and an eye for the sacred in the everyday.
Book Details
- Series: Constant Epicurean (Book 2)
- Genre: Travel Memoir / Personal Essay / Creative Nonfiction
- Themes: Isolation, humor, family, food, adaptability
- Comparables: A Year of Magical Thinking (tone), Travels with Charley (format), The Anthropocene Reviewed (voice)
