Books for Nooks: Coziness, Togetherness, and Peace

It just occurred to me that a nook is actually a technological thing on which I believe one can, in fact, read books.

The title of this post is meant rather in the sense of ‘books for nooks and cozy crannies’.  Let’s imagine that that’s the full title.

Granted, I don’t know what books you go for when you’re curled up in bed under piles of blankets (ahem, like I am now).  Maybe a twisty murder mystery is more your thing. Or an eye-opening biography. Or a sordid true crime.

For me it’s something a bit more pastoral.  Quiet stories about quiet lives lived with quiet purpose.  Close to nature, close to the seasons, and close to loved ones.
And nothing too mentally taxing.
Add in a dash of children’s literature and a sprinkle of fantasy and you’re all set.

• The Wind in the Willows is one of my favorite books. Full stop.  Cozy dens and animal friends.
• A Christmas Carol is the perfect novella for the more festive-minded.  We read it aloud as a family in the days before Christmas a few years ago and it was a really lovely thing to share.
• The Country of the Pointed Firs is a series of sketches of life in a fictional Maine fishing village.  At once a meditation on the hardship and isolation of rural life and the intense beauty of the solitude and the relationships forged therein.
• The Hobbit is the perfect cuddly fantasy adventure featuring the perfect balance of magic, mystery, and unforgettably lovable characters.
• Stillmeadow Road hits very close to me, as the author shares a year of New England seasons from her 1690 New England farmhouse. The voice is laid-back, wise, and incredibly comforting.
• The Little House series was a favorite of mine as a child and I remember it so fondly, but I’m not sure the pacing and reading level would be super pleasing to me at this point. But if you’re reading with a child or your mind is in need of something a little more serious in the way of R&R, I really do recommend these.  Is there anything more cozy than a little house in the big woods? (Maybe a little house on the banks of Plum Creek).

Just Some Series that I Used to Know

When it snows, it pours.  The precipitation started a few hours ago and we’re likely to get between 6 and 16 inches by the time the day is done.  Although Lily and I had to cancel our plans to go out for ice cream (vegan ice cream at FoMu, my one true love (other than Lily)) there’s something extremely lovely about being in a warm house with orange spice tea, an aging Christmas tree, snuggly cats, and snow out the window.

A good day for cooking, watching old movies, and maybe some nostalgia.  The beginning of a new year always seems like a time that nostalgia springs up, because thinking about newness and changes necessarily brings up memories of the past and the way things were.

And maybe I’m nearing the end of Swann’s Way right now, but it wasn’t too long ago that my reading tastes inclined more toward Captain Underpants.