Books
11 Short Snow Day Reads
The best part about a snow day is knowing that you don’t have to get out of bed. And bonus: the terrible weather gives you an excuse to not even leave the house if you don't absolutely have to. As you laze in your sheets watching the snow fall and thinking about the day ahead of you, dream of all the things you can get done. Or, better yet, pick up one of the books you've been meaning to read.
I won't be the first to tell you that getting lost in a book is one of the best ways to forget all about the cold weather... and the fact that you're slowly getting cabin fever. Plus, finishing an entire book in a day is an accomplishment, so you don't even have to feel guilty that you've spent sunrise to sunset on your behind. You achieved something! Below, 11 books that can be zipped through in a snow day.
Read The Great Gatsby if you missed it in high school, and want to understand the hype. Pick up Written on the Body if you’re feeling a bit lonely these days. Grab Breakfast at Tiffany's if the cold winter weather gives you the Mean Reds, and then pop the movie on when you're done. Whatever your mood, these books are basically guaranteed to make your snow day even better.
Glaciers by Alexis Smith
The title alone suggests that this is an ace snow day read. Told over the course of a single day, Glaciers is a detailed look into the life of Isabel, a quiet library worker, thrift store shopper, and single twentysomething. In just 174 beautifully written pages, Alexis M. Smith reminds us all of how much can happen in the course of just one day.
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Dept. of Speculation is an incredibly personal look at the things that can make and break a marriage, and the roller coaster of emotions throughout. Jenny Offill's 182 page novel of love and loss is a quick read, but one that should be read slowly, so you don't miss a single thing. (Plus, it's one of our best-book picks.)
Binary Star by Sarah Gerard
Compared to Dept. of Speculation, Binary Star is told in the same personal manner, as a twentysomething woman embarks on a cross country road trip with her long distance boyfriend while battling a serious eating disorder. In 172 pages, Sarah Gerard will open your eyes to the the mindset of someone with anorexia, as well as the tenets of vegananarchism. It's a lyrical ride like nothing you've ever read.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Maybe you missed it in high school. Maybe you loved it and want to revisit Gatsby and his extravagant parties, or his over whelming desire for Daisy and her world. Whatever your reasons, Gatsby is like a great wine and only gets better with time. And, at only 180 pages, really is worth the re-read.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
"And in that moment, I swear, we are infinite." This quote comes to life in Stephen Chbosky's 213-page coming of age tale of Charlie, a high school freshman struggling with making friends and mental illness. As you read, you'll find yourself wishing you could be friends with the incredible cast of characters Charlie meets along the way. Bonus: the movie adaptation was fantastic in a way that most books turned movies aren't.
Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson
Jeanette Winterson's 190-page novel about a nameless, genderless narrator's quest to find love, as well as identity, is all the proof you'll need that some of the most powerful books are also the shortest. Winterson's prose packs a serious punch that that will stick in your head long after you flip the last page.
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
Maxine Kingston writes powerfully about her experiences of being a Chinese American trying to find her way in the U.S. with immigrant parents. She reminisces about her parents telling "talk-stories," and how they shaped her ideas about China, as well as her identity, in a strongly detailed, 204-page narrative that shines a light on one woman's unique journey.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin's 195-page novella is the story of of Edna Pontellier's personal and sexual awakening over the course of her family's stay in New Orleans one summer. Edna throws societal expectations to the wind, ignoring her daily responsibilities and contemplating an affair with a man much younger than her. Dream of your own (less adulterous) summer plans as you read The Awakening this snowy day.
The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami can (and likely will) make you feel an entire range of emotions in just 96 pages of The Strange Library. Filled with illustrations to enhance the story, you will enter the Reading Room with the book's nameless narrator, and become both terrified and confused at what happens therein. An entertaining read that can be devoured in an afternoon, The Strange Library is one small book that can't be missed.
The Sense Of An Ending by Julian Barnes
A middle aged man looks back on his life: friends, books, and his time at school. He and his friends had sworn, as many of us do, to be friends forever. But a letter from a lawyer is about to change his life as he knows it. A powerful novel told in just 150 pages, The Sense of An Ending will inspire you to look at your own friendships and how they impact your life.
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
It's never too late to pick up a classic like Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. Holly Golightly and her antics are just enough to make you go absolutely ape. In just 178 pages you can come to know and love not just Holly but her nameless slob of a cat too!
Image: dixieroadrash/flickr
