They just needed to be left alone.
China reports no Covid-19 deaths for the first time since January. In Italy, a feeling grows that the worst has passed. Meanwhile, a state of emergency settles in Japan. 1/21
The UK’s Boris Johnson spent the night in intensive care receiving oxygen support. 2/21
Ireland’s prime minister, a physician before he entered politics, volunteers one day a week doing assessments by phone. 3/21
A new daily feature from the Associated Press: “5 things to know today—that aren’t about the virus.” 4/21
Trump uses newfound powers to tell Border Patrol to turn away asylum seekers without a hearing, contravening legislation. 5/21
The government revokes a Massachusetts tribe's reservation, provoking legal concerns for tribes recognized after 1934. 6/21
A 104-year-old Italian woman recovers well from the coronavirus. She also survived the flu pandemic of 1918. 7/21
A German exception? The country’s coronavirus death rate is low thanks to widespread testing, plenty of ICU beds, and a trusted government passing along smart instructions. 8/21
A Colorado county is giving every resident an antibody test, which shows who might have immunity (temporarily), thanks to being exposed to the coronavirus. 9/21
There's been a 600% increase since March in advertising images of people washing their hands, face, and body. 10/21
Lin-Manuel Miranda and the cast of Hamilton surprise a young Broadway fan during John Krasinski's latest episode of “Good News.” 11/21
British phone companies politely ask people to stop burning their towers, thanks to coronavirus conspiracy theories. 12/21
With prices falling, big oil firms may not be able to sustain the dividends that kept investors hooked. 13/21
The power of celebrities is tanking except maybe for Britney Spears, an oddly fitting star to lead us out of quarantine. 14/21
Related: Will stories of “influencers” flouting public health put an end to their self-aggrandizement? 15/21
Tips from a man who survived the Holocaust by hiding in a small basement for two years with up to 15 others. 16/21
See also: Advice on how to stay at home from a nun who’s been social distancing for 29 years. 17/21
“What matters is the oscillation between exhilaration and despair.” Author Clancy Martin talks about his time in the jewelry hustle. 18/21
For your current soundtrack: film music from Studio Ghibli and song picks by Jamie xx. Also, quizzes, science experiments, and other classroom resources from National Geographic for homeschooling. 19/21
A Hong Kong zoo has been trying to get two pandas to mate for a decade. When coronavirus shut the zoo down, the pandas found time. 20/21
Unrelated/related: How to go skiing in your living room. 21/21
And now a brief conversation with one of our latest Sustaining Members, Nathaniel M.
When did you start reading TMN or the Tournament of Books? I started reading TMN over 10 years ago, and began following the ToB shortly after.
How did you hear about us? I found the site through writers Pasha Malla and Alexander Chee.
Is there a specific reason you became a supporter? Only that TMN has always offered steady hope that intellectual curiosity and a specific kind of literary and cultural empathy can thrive on the Internet. The site is like a lovely, perfectly cultivated little garden. It's reassuring to know it's out there.
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