Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Sunday Salon: Winter Reading

Creative Commons Image Attribution http://www.ForestWander.com

I've recently finished reading Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton and the image above seems to capture the cold, bleak beauty from that novella. Many of you are probably sick of the "cold, bleak beauty," but my home is in a place that is often quite warm during the winter months (yes, I live in the Northern Hemisphere) so I like to live vicariously through my reading by creating a seasonal reading shelf for winter. I actually do this four times a year, once for each season. I also crave certain types of reading during the year. Here is how it breaks down for me:
Classics and literary fiction (yes, I understand there is some controversy over the term "literary fiction" but I am using it here because I think most readers will understand what type of book I'm referring to) are liberally added to any seasonal shelf. I particularly like to read Dickens during the winter months though.

Creating a seasonal shelf not only allows me to read seasonally, but it also allows me to address my enormous TBR collection by creating a smaller pool of books to draw from without restricting myself too much. I might read everything on my seasonal shelf or I might read just some of those books. I like to allow myself room to read something I hadn't thought of, to accommodate a sudden urge to join a read-a-long, or to read impulsively ... because reading should be fun!

Do you create seasonal shelves?

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10 comments:

  1. I don't set up reading seasonally, although sometimes I don't want to read a book about a certain season if it's a particularly bad season. For example, I'm not that much into reading about winter right now as cold as it has been, so if there's a mystery set in Alaska, I probably won't read that.

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    1. I understand you not wanting to read about the snow and ice right now! Maybe you need a book set in a place with white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and drinks served beachside with little umbrellas right about now? ;)

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    2. My next book is set in New Orleans, so it ought to be hot and muggy there. I'm hoping that will keep me warm.

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  2. I tend to create season shelves in my mind, but would be more likely to follow through if I put them in an actual pile. Dickens and the Russians are perfect for winter.

    I also enjoy classic family sagas this time of year and recently downloaded the complete Forsyte Saga. It's been several years since I read the first 3 novels and 2 interlude, so a quick may be in order before continuing.

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    1. Physically setting aside a seasonal TBR has really helped. I've always done this in my head, but, like you, wasn't as likely to follow through.

      I agree that Dickens and the Russians are perfect winter reads. Maybe I will put Doctor Zhivago on my shelf for next winter. I've always wanted to read that. I've also been wanting to read the Forsyte Saga and have a bindup of those books; haven't read any of them yet. So many books to read, right?

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  3. I've never created a seasonal shelf for all four seasons, only for creepy October-ish thugs and in Winter for snowy days, but I love your idea! The over thing I tend do, almost unconsciously, is long to eat whatever food comes from the book I'm reading. For example, I cannot read of India without wanting samosas and byriani (sp?) or Japan with Ramen soup or soba noodles. It's so weird! :)

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    1. I want to eat the food I'm reading about too, so I don't think the food connection is weird at all! Of course, maybe we are both weird ;)

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  4. p.s. I've got Ethan Frome on my Classics Club list, anxious to get to it now.

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    1. Oh good! I'm planning on writing a review/thoughts post for Ethan Frome. It was beautiful but rather depressing as far as the characters went.

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  5. I don't have the discipline to arrange my books on a seasonal shelf. I read what feels right at the moment!

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