Now the weather is turning colder and it gets dark early in the evening, there is nothing better than curling up on the sofa with a mug of tea, some chocolate and of course: a beautiful book.
If you want to get lost in a book, and forget that outside it is rainy and cold, here are a few recommendations.
Fried green tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, Fannie Flagg.
This is one of those books you can only call 'heartwarming'. It is the engaging story of Evelyn who comes to the nursing home with her husband to visit her mother in law. Evelyn is not happy with herself, her life, her weight or her marriage. She feels like time is leaving her behind and there should be something more to life than she has now.
In the nursing home she meets an old lady, Mrs. Threadgoode, who tells her about the Whistle Stop Cafe and the amazing people who lived there.
It is a story about love, heartache, family and friends and perhaps even a murder.
I absolutely loved this book and it is a perfect read for a cold evening.
Short stories by Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov is one of my all-time favorite authors. His short stories are the best there are, I think. He brings alive the Russian world of around 1900, a world long gone. He wrote about the common people, the students, the servants, the farmers. He was original since he did not always give a story a happy end and sometimes it is even an open ending.
Some stories are around 6 pages, other are around 30 pages long. His earlier work is more funny, his later stories are more serious.
Give them a try and let Anton Chekhov take you to Sint Petersburgs or Moscow, in the cold Russian winters.
The night circus, Erin Morgenstern
I read this book when it came out in Dutch translation in November 2011, so that is five years ago, I remember how much I loved the book and how impressed I was with the atmosphere and the details of the magical Night circus. The story of the two young people who are trained by the rival magicians and who do not know what is at stake with their competition.
The way the Night Circus was described was done in a genius manner, I could see every detail of this strange place in my mind.
Lately this book has been calling to me again and now I have taken it out of my bookcase and I will read it again. I am curious to see if re-reading it will be a good experience and that the book will live up to my memory, or that it will be a disappointment. I hope not, but I will let you know!
If you want to get lost in a book, and forget that outside it is rainy and cold, here are a few recommendations.
This is one of those books you can only call 'heartwarming'. It is the engaging story of Evelyn who comes to the nursing home with her husband to visit her mother in law. Evelyn is not happy with herself, her life, her weight or her marriage. She feels like time is leaving her behind and there should be something more to life than she has now.
In the nursing home she meets an old lady, Mrs. Threadgoode, who tells her about the Whistle Stop Cafe and the amazing people who lived there.
It is a story about love, heartache, family and friends and perhaps even a murder.
I absolutely loved this book and it is a perfect read for a cold evening.
Anton Chekhov is one of my all-time favorite authors. His short stories are the best there are, I think. He brings alive the Russian world of around 1900, a world long gone. He wrote about the common people, the students, the servants, the farmers. He was original since he did not always give a story a happy end and sometimes it is even an open ending.
Some stories are around 6 pages, other are around 30 pages long. His earlier work is more funny, his later stories are more serious.
Give them a try and let Anton Chekhov take you to Sint Petersburgs or Moscow, in the cold Russian winters.
The night circus, Erin Morgenstern
I read this book when it came out in Dutch translation in November 2011, so that is five years ago, I remember how much I loved the book and how impressed I was with the atmosphere and the details of the magical Night circus. The story of the two young people who are trained by the rival magicians and who do not know what is at stake with their competition.
The way the Night Circus was described was done in a genius manner, I could see every detail of this strange place in my mind.
Lately this book has been calling to me again and now I have taken it out of my bookcase and I will read it again. I am curious to see if re-reading it will be a good experience and that the book will live up to my memory, or that it will be a disappointment. I hope not, but I will let you know!
While I haven't read any of Chekhov's short stories, I did love both The Night Circus and Fried Green Tomatoes... They're great reads.
ReplyDeleteI am re-reading The nightcircus and I love it as much as I did five years ago.
DeleteAnd I can really recommend the stories by Chekhov, there is nobody better, I think!! I love how much he knows and understand about human beings and has real compassion for them.
Kind regards,
I'll have to give them a try. I'm not a huge short story reader, but I have been trying to expand my reading horizons lately. And it sounds like Chekhov's stories shouldn't be missed. :)
DeleteI am usually also not a huge fan of short stories, but with Chekhov you somehow do not notice these are short stories. (I have his portrait on my desk, that also says something :-) )
DeleteKind regards,