While we Brits are stockpiling toilet paper, the French are looking to Albert Camus for answers

With the country in the grip of a pandemic (and associated rising panic levels) it is, however, good to see people are still finding solace in the arts, particularly, at the moment, in books and literature. This is possibly because reading is generally a solitary pursuit and one that can be enjoyed without having to leave the house – perfect if you are self-isolating/have been quarantined.

Last week saw the publication of Hilary Mantel’s much-anticipated The Mirror and the Light. Following 2009’s Wolf Hall and 2012’s Bring Up the Bodies, it is the final novel in her trilogy about Henry VIII’s right-hand man Thomas Cromwell.

The book raced straight up to the number one spot in the UK Official Top 50, selling more than 95,000 print copies in just three days.

With a narrative set in a period of history even more turbulent and cut-throat than our own, perhaps readers are finding some comfort in that. There is nothing like a bit of escaping into the distant past to help you get through a difficult present.

So while we Brits have been stockpiling toilet paper, the French have been looking for answers in a piece of allegorical existentialist writing by a Nobel Prize-winning author. Plus ça change...

To be fair, UK sales of the book have also risen recently and Penguin are planning a reprint of their excellent English translation. I would highly recommend reading this extraordinarily rich and moving novel.

It is a profound examination of the human condition, containing stark warnings about what happens if we lose sight of our common humanity while at the same time demonstrating what can be achieved through small acts of kindness and consideration when we work together as a caring community. As with all good novels, it encourages empathy, something the world needs a lot more of right now.

There is another plague raging across Europe – the rise of right-wing populism, intolerance, xenophobia and racism which we must guard against. As Camus wrote in La Peste: “What’s true of all the evils in the world is true of plague as well. It helps men to rise above themselves.” Let’s hope that proves to be true.