9 Reasons Why You Start Reading Again In Fall

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

Joe Fox was onto something when he typed those words to his online mystery woman in the Nora Ephron classic You've Got Mail. There really is something about the onset of September that gets me pining for paper and pencils, and especially, for a good book to devour while perched atop a tree-shaded park bench (steaming coffee and apple cider donut in hand, if I’m really doing it right).

Perhaps we’re all a little burnt out after those raucous months of summer. Sooner or later, too much sun, sand, and tequila can wear a body down, and get us craving the first cool gusts of autumn air. Enough with chlorine and sunscreen; let us breathe in wisps of distant fireplaces, damp oak leaves, and the worn pages of an old novel. Let us drink too much coffee and inhale an alarming amount of pumpkin scones while burying our faces in classic suspense tales. Let us wear out our boots while scouring the city for a real-life Shop Around The Corner.

With September finally upon us, here are the nostalgia-driven reasons that fall is the best time to read a great novel:

After A Summer Of Social High Jinks, A Little Introspection Might Be Just What The Doctor Ordered

Seriously, time to reel it in. Your body (and mind) will thank you.

The Smell Of A New Book Makes You Feel Like A Middle School Student Again

If you secretly (or not so secretly) thrilled at the prospect of each new school year growing up, chances are that nostalgic September excitement has stuck with you into adulthood.

Reading Is A Great Excuse To Indulge In Your Crippling Pumpkin Addiction

Ahem, this pumpkin scone, pumpkin muffin, pumpkin donut, and slice of pumpkin pie à la mode are just harmless reading snacks. There's nothing to see here! And anyway, pumpkin is bursting with vitamin A...

Reading Makes Coffee Taste Better

There's something about taking those first few sips of dark roast while consumed in a chapter of a new (or old) favorite. A pensive mind knows how to savor a good cup of joe. On that note...

Reading Makes Bourbon Taste Better

Have a good book and the whole night ahead of you, but decaf just won't do? Go with Marky Mark Twain's advice on this one, and sip a great whiskey or bourbon for ultimate warmth on a chilly autumn evening.

Fall Feels Like The Best Time To Revisit The Classics

Grey skies and shorter days always put me in the mood to dust off my favorite Agatha Christie or Edgar Allan Poe stories. After all...

Who Can Resist A Good Ghost Story?

Nothing makes you feel like a jumpy kid again more than an old-school horror story. Even better: Invite a friend or two over for a group read in front of the fireplace.

Your Favorite Wool Sweater Puts You In The Mood To Read Thomas Hardy While Roaming An English Heath

Fall's first chill means time to don your best tweed, wool, or velvet, and become your own, modern-day Eustacia Vye.

That Rustic, Wood-Burning Fireplace Isn’t Going To Keep Itself Company

That is, if you're lucky enough to have a fireplace. If not, put on a brave face and try to make do with your virtual yule log.

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