December – Booklist
Every year as the bleak and blustery weather settles in, we naturally look for sources of light. While the days grow shorter and the air colder, the world around us begins to glow with a different kind of energy. This month’s booklist celebrates the many ways we find warmth in the cold—from the flickering candles of Hanukkah and the communal fires of Winter Solstice to the vibrant traditions of Kwanzaa and the festive spirit of Christmas. These stories remind us that no matter how we celebrate, the human spirit has a beautiful habit of shining its brightest in the dark.
Nonfiction
White Christmas: The Story of an American Song by Jody Rosen
When Irving Berlin first conceived the song “White Christmas,” he envisioned it as a satirical novelty number for a vaudeville-style stage revue. By the time Bing Crosby introduced the tune in the winter of 1942, it had evolved into something far grander: the stately yuletide ballad that would become the world’s all-time top-selling and most widely recorded song.
Kwanzaa: An African-American Celebration of Culture and Cooking by Eric V. Copage
This book was compiled as a sourcebook for the observance of the Kwanzaa held every year between December 26th and January 1st. Included are selections from historical works, folklore, and biographies that illustrate the “Nguzo Saba” (seven principles of Kwanzaa,) interspersed with a host of recipes from the African diaspora.
Winter Solstice an Essay by Nina MacLaughlin
A celebration and meditation on the season for drinking hot chocolate, spotting a wreath on a neighbor’s door, experiencing the change in light of shorter days. All aspects of Winter, from the meteorological to the mythological, are captured in this masterful essay, told in wise and luminous prose that pushes back the dark.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
Combining memoir, philosophy, and self-help, the author discusses her own experiences of dealing with a difficult winter in her life by slowing down. She believes the idea of hibernation–embracing a slower, quieter life–can be healing and interviews people around the world who have mastered life living in the cold. Some violence.
Fiction
Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot
Charged with planning her small Vermont town’s first Hanukkah festival, Abby Cohen finds an unlikely ally in Seth, the only other local Jew she can find. The two strike a deal to help one another: Seth will provide the professional connections Abby needs if she agrees to pose as his girlfriend for his family’s celebrations in New York City. However, as they navigate holiday traditions and “fake” romance, Abby discovers that the sparks flying between them might be more than just festive lights.
Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne
A young man named Mo Alan is recruited as a volunteer at a nearby children’s hospital. He is assigned to bring a little holiday cheer to the young cancer patients. His biggest challenge is a decidedly angry girl who is embarrassed by her scarred appearance. Together they discover the true spirit of Christmas. Local Utah title.
The Usual Santas: A Collection of Soho Crime Christmas Capers
Sixteen delightful holiday short stories by some of your favorite Soho Crime authors. The stories by award winning authors contain laughs aplenty, the most hardboiled of holiday noir, and heartwarming reminders of the spirit of the season. Adventure will whisk readers away to Christmases around the globe, from a Korean War POW camp to a Copenhagen refugee squat to a Thai street child’s quest for the perfect gift for her friend. Contains some strong language, and violence.
Same Time Next Year by Debbie Macomber
James was jilted in a most auspicious manner, his fiancée got married to another man while they were engaged. With that broken engagement finally behind him, he spends New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas, where he meets Summer Lawton. Summer has just suffered a painful betrayal, and James promises her that in a year, she’ll be over it. To prove his point, he makes a date to meet her in Vegas, same time, next year. But their fateful meeting turns out to be a lot more than a date.
Image Description: The center of the image follows a small town main street covered in snow. Snow is falling and the street is lined with lit up trees in the darkness. The image fades out of focus.