Booklist – January
Winter is the best time to curl up with a good book. As the snow sets in, we long for the comfort and warmth of our own homes, and maybe even wish for a few snowy days to trap us safely next to our hearths. This book list explores the ways winter storms can affect us. From truthful tales of survival and self-discovery to stories of romance and even the paranormal, this book list will make sure that you have plenty to entertain when the winter storms come blowing.
Nonfiction
The Indifferent Stars Above Us by Daniel James Brown
An account of the tragic journey of a party of settlers traveling west to California in the nineteenth century. Particularly describes the harrowing weeks spent traversing the Sierra Nevada Mountains as heavy snow fell. Some violence.
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
A journalist’s first-hand report on the ill-fated Mt. Everest expedition of May 1996 in which a freak storm claimed the lives of nine adventurers. Describes the grueling ascent of the climbers, their sense of elation at reaching the peak, and the tragic events that followed. Strong language.
Northeaster: A Story of Courage and Survival in the Blizzard of 1952 by Cathie Pelletier
The harrowing tale of a storm that smothered hundreds of travelers in their cars, covered entire towns, and broke ships in half. During the blizzard’s chaos, there were remarkable acts of heroism and courageous generosities. Northeaster shows that we have it inside to fight for survival in some of the harshest conditions that nature has to offer. Some strong language.
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. Focusing on embracing a slower, quieter life the author interviews people around the world who have mastered life living in the cold. Some violence.
Fiction
The Shining by Stephen King
Jack and Wendy Torrance come face-to-face with terror when they become caretakers of a haunted old hotel in the snowy mountains of Colorado. Their five-year-old son Danny, who appears to have psychic powers, is the first to sense the evil in the building. Violence and strong language.
Let it Snow by Debbie Macomber
Snowbound after a blizzard delayed their flight home for the holiday, Shelly soon found that meeting Slade Garner changed the course of her life and wished the trip would never end. For romantics who believe in true love and destiny, this is a holiday favorite.
Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Kemper
Walking to her grandmother’s home to make a traditional Lebanese dish. Lina discovers all the ways you can hear the snow from the scrape of a shovel on a sidewalk to the quiet pats of snowman-building. A beautiful description of alternative ways to “see” the world around us. For grades K-3.
Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin
In this apocalyptic reimagining, New York City is subsumed in arctic winds, dark nights, and white lights. One night in winter, Peter Lake, orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side that changes his life forever.
Image Description: Two snow plows drive down a neighborhood street, clearing the streets of snow as more snow falls.