13 Books to Cozy Up With This Winter
Picks curated from the I Read This Over Shabbos community
The big holiday stretch is over (for now), and we’re left with the months that follow—when autumn nudges us to slow down, and winter waits in the wings. There’s a crispness in the air, the light fading earlier each day, like the season itself is telling us to stay in, shut the door, and settle down with a good book.
I thought putting together a list of books to fall into (ha) as the weather turns cooler might be useful. And who has better taste than our own I Read This Over Shabbos community? Here’s what you’ve been reading and recommending on Twitter and Instagram. Whether you’re embracing the season or just making your way through it, I think you’ll find something here worth curling up with.
Fiction:
The Castle by Franz Kafka
A darkly surreal journey through an inscrutable bureaucracy, capturing the frustrations and absurdities of human existence.
Absolution by Jeff Vandermeer
A gripping, eco-dystopian tale that dives deep into guilt, memory, and the unstoppable forces of nature.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
A haunting exploration of an otherworldly labyrinth, where mystery and solitude intertwine with beauty and strangeness. (I absolutely loved this book.)
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A heartwarming story about an isolated woman’s journey toward connection, friendship, and self-acceptance.
How to Love Your Daughter by Hila Blum
A piercing examination of motherhood, regret, and the hidden complexities that shape the bond between mother and daughter.
Nonfiction:
Burn Rate by Andy Dunn
A brutally honest memoir that traces the highs and lows of startup life through the lens of mental health struggles and ambition.
Vertigo by Harald Jahner
A sweeping look at post-WWII Germany, capturing the complexities, tensions, and contradictions of a society rebuilding from ruin.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
An insightful and heartfelt look at therapy from both sides of the couch, illuminating the humanity in all of us.
The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
A cozy guide to the Danish art of happiness, offering simple ways to bring warmth and contentment into daily life.
Jewish:
The Jewish Origins of Cultural Pluralism by Daniel Greene
A fascinating historical account of how Jewish thinkers helped shape the foundations of American cultural diversity.
Beasts that Teach, Birds that Tell by Eliezer Segal
A playful exploration of ancient animal stories and their surprising moral lessons from the Talmud.
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew by Emmanuel Acho and Noa Tishby
A candid, no-holds-barred dialogue on Jewish identity, history, and the challenges of confronting prejudice and misunderstanding.
Mastering the Mind by Saul Clarke
A practical guide to understanding and strengthening mental discipline, focus, and resilience.
What are you reading? Let us know in the comments!
Have a great week and keep reading,
Arty
Greetings from Texas!
If I can find them on audiobooks, I’ll be able to read them. Some of these sound fascinating.
Thank you for the quick synapses. It’s just enough to peek your interest but not too long to make this post way too long to appreciate.
Blessings to you and your “channel”.
I just picked up Mastering the Mind the other day in Crown Heights.