If You Like….

Something about the holiday vacation week makes me think of long, snowy afternoon reading childhood favorites.

The phrase that came immediately to mind was “classic contentment reads”, the sorts of books you read when the blackberry has stopped buzzing, the final paper has been turned in, the smell of good baking things permeates the house, and you can curl up in a peaceful corner in the winter twilight with the last hint of the setting sun reflecting orange and gold across the snow.

If you like Classic Contentment Reads, you’ll probably like….

— Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and its two sequels: Little Men and Jo’s Boys. These are annual winter re-reads for me;

— L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series, from the first Anne book all the way up to Rilla of Ingleside;

— You knew there was going to be more L.M. Montgomery, right? I also recommend her three Emily books, Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, and Emily’s Quest;

— No L.M. Montgomery marathon would be complete without my personal favorite, The Blue Castle;

— Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess, which still makes me cry;

— And, of course, Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden (for those of you who haven’t heard the Broadway musical, I highly, highly recommend the soundtrack– who knew Mandy Patankin could be so tortured and Victorian?);

— the “Shoes” books by Noel Streatfield, especially Theater Shoes, Dancing Shoes, and Skating Shoes;

— Astrid Lindgren’s Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter. I hadn’t realized Lindgren was so much more than Pippi Longstocking until one snowy afternoon on Christmas break from college when I picked up this long ignored book from my shelf and fell in love with it.

— There are also a handful of books that aren’t quite so venerable, but have that same feel to them, most notably the Eva Ibbotsen oeuvre, which are perfect for a peaceful winter afternoon and some quiet sniffles in the corner of the couch: The Morning Gift (very sniffle-inducing), A Company of Swans, and A Countess Below Stairs are my favorites.

What are your holiday classic contentment reads?

11 Comments

  1. Jeffrey on December 24, 2012 at 10:01 am

    Anything by L. M. Montgomery, who (next to Jane Austen) is my favorite historical author. I’ve read the ENTIRE Anne of Gables series, The Story Girl, and at least 100 of her priceless short stories. Believe me, Blue Castles is on my to-read least, along with Emily series.

    Merry Christmas to you, Lauren, for bringing such joy into the hearts of your avid readeers!

  2. Jeffrey on December 24, 2012 at 10:01 am

    Anything by L. M. Montgomery, who (next to Jane Austen) is my favorite historical author. I’ve read the ENTIRE Anne of Gables series, The Story Girl, and at least 100 of her priceless short stories. Believe me, Blue Castles is on my to-read least, along with Emily series.

    Merry Christmas to you, Lauren, for bringing such joy into the hearts of your avid readers!

  3. Jeffrey on December 24, 2012 at 10:02 am

    Anything by L. M. Montgomery, who (next to Jane Austen) is my favorite historical author. I’ve read the ENTIRE Anne of Gables series, The Story Girl, and at least 100 of her priceless short stories. Believe me, Blue Castles is on my to-read least, along with the Emily series.

    Merry Christmas to you, Lauren, for bringing such joy into the hearts of your avid readeers!

  4. Jeffrey on December 24, 2012 at 10:04 am

    So sorry. Not trying to hog the comments. Glitches in posting!

  5. Joanne M. on December 24, 2012 at 11:27 am

    Dicken’s A Christmas Carol and O’Henry’s The Gift of the Magi are two must-reads around Christmas at my house.

    Lauren, wishing you and all your readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

  6. Nessa on December 24, 2012 at 11:52 am

    I love all of your choices! Astrid Lindgren’s books were the first ones I read by myself…
    I also love (and still have on my bookcases) Eleonor H.Porter’s “Pollyanna”,Edith Nesbit’s “Railway Children” and others,charming and old fashioned L.T. Meade books like “Priscilla’s Promise”, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “Little Lord Fauntleroy”, Maud Hart Lovelace’s “Betsy-Tacy” series, Madeline Babcock Smith’s “The Lemon Jelly Cake”,Kate Douglas Wiggin’s “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm”, P.L.Travers’ Mary Poppins series, Christianna Brand’s “Nurse Mathilda” and so many others…
    Merry Christmas to Lauren and all the readers!

  7. Lauren on December 24, 2012 at 12:15 pm

    Nessa, I love “The Railway Children”! Now I need to track down a copy….

  8. Adeia on December 24, 2012 at 1:37 pm

    Half-Magic by Edward Eager and The Witch of Blackbird Pond were my favorites when I was younger.

  9. Tiffany on December 24, 2012 at 8:46 pm

    The Witch of Blackbird Pond is still my favorite, with The Calico captive being a close second!
    Have a merry Christmas!

  10. Yvette R on December 24, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    My contentment reads are more funny than sniffle-inducing, and usually lean toward classic mysteries. Anything by GH … I am currently listening to Georgette Heyer’s Christmas mystery Envious Casca (on cassette, because that’s the only way to get this one). And I will probably listen to all of Patricia Wentworth’s Miss Silver books that I have (20?), and all of the Phryne Fisher books by Kerry Greenwood.

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