6 Winter Book Picks: Cozy Tales to Read by the Fire
December 24, 2015
The holidays are upon us! It’s the perfect time of year to catch up with family and friends—or to escape them by holing up in the corner with a good book. Below, the MM team shares some of our favorite reads for tuning out a full house or making the most of a dark, snowy evening.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Lucy Boswell, Customer Experience Analyst & Stylist, says:
“When you need a break from the family, what better way to escape than by curling up with a 900-page Russian novel? Enter, Anna Karenina. Escape into the dark, snowy streets of nineteenth-century Saint Petersburg in Tolstoy’s epic romance (and arguably the finest example of realist fiction to date). By the end, I guarantee you’ll be feeling grateful for your own family. After all, no one said it better than Leo himself: ‘All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.'”
Sun Storm by Åsa Larsson
Hanna Freedlund, Sales Lead, says:
“Rebecka Martinsson, a young Swedish lawyer, travels from Stockholm to her frigid northern hometown of Kiruna when her childhood best friend is accused of murdering her own brother. She must work to clear her friend’s name, while also confronting her hometown and the many reasons she left. I’ve raved about the Scandinavian murder mystery genre before, but Larsson ups the game and manages to develop and explore her characters on a deeper level than you’d expect. Perfect for cozying up and getting a little spooked on a quiet, snowy evening.”
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Michaella Kurdziel, Director of Customer Experience, says:
“My Brilliant Friend is the first of the four books in the Neapolitan Novels series, which takes place in sun-drenched Naples. They’re so well written, and they offer the best depiction of the complexities, tenderness, and anguish of female friendship that I’ve ever read. I also love Amor Towles’s Rules of Civility, which features pre-WWII New York, great dialogue, and a precocious, uncompromising female lead. Read and immediately find an excuse to head to the (decorated, twinkling) King Cole bar at the St. Regis.”
Light Years by James Salter
Tory Hoen, Editor-in-Chief, says:
“I favor books that are heavy on ambiance / existential exploration and light on plot; Light Years is a prime example. Set in New York City and the Hudson Valley, this is a meandering tale that follows the evolution and devolution of a marriage over many decades—from idyllic countryside Christmases to clandestine extra-marital affairs. But despite what does or doesn’t ‘happen’ in this book, James Salter’s artful prose is enough to captivate you and make you feel major feelings.”
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Catherine Bryt, Customer Experience Analyst & Stylist, says:
“This is a dark story about reflection and introversion. It’s exactly what I think of when I hear ‘dark, snowy night.’ Perfect for escaping into another world filled with melancholy and romantic twists.”
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Masha Kandybin, Senior Manager of Planning, says:
“This book is long and philosophical—perfect for when you have time to let your mind wander into a dream-like place. The characters are deep and bizarre, and there are several talking cats in the mix.”
