The content can relate to current world events w/ bird flu/H1N1. Can relate to characters and can see/understand moral dilemmas.

An interesting mix of fiction and philosophy. Camus spins a good yarn and creates engaging characters. I don't know how much of the analogies to fascism, religious domination and existentialism found in the critiques was actually intended by the author, or read in later. I did have to keep suspending my disbelief that the town would suffer so long in the twentieth century and that such effective isolation could be enforced. But it there's lots of license. I had my Kindle read to me while I was on the road, and the digitized voice had a tough time with the odd French spelling -- the author was Camuss and the doctor was rucks. It was amusing.

Lessons learned: It is up to all of us to band together as humans and fight whenever plagues threaten our existence and cause widespread suffering. A disbelief in a benevolent God makes us fight harder because it puts the onus on us collectively. If God had any compassion for humanity, it would be His duty to fight plagues. Non-appearance and non-existence are pretty much the same thing at a time of crisis. Mankind has always been plagued and will continue to be plagued. We're on our own. Deliverance is up to us.