Year of Plagues

This compelling memoir details a tumultuous year for Fred D'Aguiar, blending personal struggles with broader societal issues in Year of Plagues.

In Year of Plagues, the award-winning poet Fred D'Aguiar offers a poignant and unforgettable memoir that captures a tumultuous year marked by personal and global crises. The year 2020 was particularly challenging for D'Aguiar, as he faced the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the eruption of Black Lives Matter protests in the United States, and a personal battle with stage-4 cancer. Through this lens of turmoil, D'Aguiar reflects on the complexities of fear, hope, and resilience in a world that feels increasingly fragmented.

This memoir is an intimate exploration of how these seismic events affected D'Aguiar's sense of community, identity, and purpose. He weaves together personal reminiscences with philosophical musings, drawing on influences from music and poetry. In doing so, he confronts profound questions about the role of a writer and educator amidst overwhelming upheaval. The narrative is enriched by D'Aguiar's diverse cultural background, encompassing his Caribbean roots, London upbringing, and American experiences, which together create a rich tapestry of resistance against oppression and disease.

Year of Plagues challenges traditional memoir formats with its dynamic language, oscillating between the everyday and the lyrical, the personal and the metaphysical. This genre-bending work is both tender and fierce, offering readers a harrowing yet uplifting account of existence, protest, and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity.