Winter evenings come early and last a long time, which makes them perfect for books with some weight. These six are warm, atmospheric or gripping, and each one is easy to disappear into once the lamp is on.
Six books to sink into
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868). It opens at Christmas and stays warm all the way through. A family of four sisters, plenty of tea and a lot of heart.
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (2012). A childless couple in 1920s Alaska build a girl out of snow, and a real child appears at their door. Quiet, strange and tender.
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper (1973). A boy turns eleven at midwinter and discovers that he belongs to an ancient fight between light and dark. It is written for younger readers, but it reads well at any age.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (2017). A girl in a snowy Russian village sees the spirits of the old stories. Long nights and wood smoke on every page.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (2001). A boy finds a mysterious book in a hidden library in Barcelona. It is a mystery you can read for hours without noticing.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992). A group of classics students at a cold New England college. Dark and compelling, for the evenings when you want something with a pull.
How to set up a winter evening
- Pick the chair with the best light and put a lamp beside it.
- Bring a blanket and something hot to drink before you start, so you do not have to get up.
- Choose a book you will want to read for more than one evening.
- Keep a second, shorter book nearby for nights when you are too tired for a long one.
Libraries have all six, and a long loan fits a long winter.
