After Life (Haymarket Books) is a rich collection of historical accounts of the ways in which Americans experienced, lived through, documented, and survived the COVID-19 pandemic. The book not only captures the way in which Americans existed beyond this worldwide tragedy, but also highlights the other major events that happened during this time including racial justice movements, the attempt to overthrow the 2020 election, uprisings, and more. It also dives into the elements of the pandemic that revolve around the raw human experience; the pain, sadness, and grief Americans experienced in great depths. Barnes, Merritt, and Williams brought this book together by asking historians and legal experts to reflect on these events and compare this era to earlier ones in U.S. history.
