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And now, with the Christmas break and chillier weather coming up, we Library people think it’s time for some book recommendations. Whether or not you have a lot or a little time, it’s never a bad idea to grab some cocoa and immerse yourself in a good book—during Christmas break, at least. Here are our picks for you this holiday season .
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Settling into your chair with your hot chocolate, you mentally peruse your bookshelves for a book appropriate for the occasion. Why not allow A Christmas Carol to capture your attention and be your literary selection this holiday? The value of this classic Christmas story lies not in its popularity, but in its powerful message and stimulating descriptions. It relates the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy, hard-hearted miser who all the townspeople hate. One night Scrooge receives a strange visitor who thrusts him into a remarkable journey. During the course of that night Scrooge travels through the Christmases of his past, present, and future, and on this excursion he gradually realizes the sad state of his heart. In A Christmas Carol, Dickens masterfully orchestrates a tale of transformation and renewal in a crescendo that ends in a finale that changes Scrooge's life forever.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel of four girls and their mother doesn’t just appeal to me because I came from a family of four little women myself. Set in Civil War era New England, this novel is most aptly called “heartwarming” for its display of the triumphs of love and good deeds over hard times and long distances. In a way, Little Women is a coming of age tale—the novel shows the March girls’ transitions into womanhood and their discovery of what it really means to be a “little woman.” The humor with which this story is told is no mean addition. While Alcott is a deist, not a Christian, the book’s morals are sound, and we learn while we enjoy this delightful story. A lovely mix of laughs, love, and lessons, Little Women is perfect for a winter evening.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
What’s better than a good mystery to go along with that hot chocolate? Agatha Christie’s first published novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles introduces the incredible, idiosyncratic Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. It’s set in England during World War I at a country manor called Styles where a dozen guests are staying. Despite murder, intrigue, and final justice, Christie gives us light moments through the hilarity of Hercule. Involving in Christie-like fashion with many plot twists and surprising turns, The Mysterious Affair at Styles is not to be missed. Pick it up at the Library this season.
-Rez-Worthy-
From the Library Quote Collection
-- Why We Love Narnia --
“In our world, too, stable once had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world.”
-The Last Battle
“The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.”
The Magician's Nephew
"Well, in a manner of speaking," said the Dwarf, scratching his head. "But he's really a New Narnian himself, a Telmarine, if you follow me."
"I don't," said Edmund.
"It's worse than the Wars of the Roses," said Lucy.
-Prince Caspian
“A noble friend is the best gift and a noble enemy the next best.”
-The Last Battle
“But very quickly they all became grave again: for, as you know, there is a kind of happiness and wonder that makes you serious. It is too good to waste on jokes.”
-The Last Battle
“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”
-The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
"You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve," said Aslan. "And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content."
-Prince Caspian
And for you die-hard Narnia fans…
“My son, by all means desist from kicking the venerable and enlightened Vizar: for as a costly jewel retains its value even if it is hidden in a dung-hill, so old age and discretion are to be respected even in the vile persons of our subjects.”
-The Horse and His Boy
And that’s all! Merry Christmas from the Library Staff…
-Ellen, Matthew, & Logan
