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March 28, 2024

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Check It Out: A few books worth curling up with while enjoying a hot drink

By Jan Johnston
Published: November 26, 2017, 6:01am
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The official start of winter is now less than a month away, and I’m feeling the need for a stack of books to carry me through the upcoming weeks of rain and cold. Of course, I pretty much have a stack of books all year long, but I hope you know what I mean. In my world December and January are all about books and hot tea (in fact, I think that December should be renamed Teacember; if that idea boosts the tea market, well, you’re welcome, tea vendors).

This is also a very hectic time with all of the holidays, family get-togethers, and general wrap-up activities associated with the end of another calendar year. All the more reason to schedule quiet reading time whenever you can. If you have trouble locating a quiet spot at your house, remember that the library often has areas where you can tuck yourself into a comfortable chair and a good book. It’s what we do.

Now, what to read is always a good question. And with so much getting published every month, the choices can be overwhelming. Let me be of some assistance, if I may, over the next several weeks by suggesting a smaller salmagundi of titles. The word salmagundi, by the way, means a mixture or miscellany (also, a salad consisting of chopped-up meat, eggs, veggies, and anchovies, but that’s a different definition for a different column). I learned this “new” word (it’s actually been around for a long, long time) from Kory Stamper’s “Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries,” which is one of the titles I’ve selected for this week’s reading list. I’ve also chosen a devilishly witty picture book; a title about mountain rescue that should make everyone feel grateful for the people who take on this dangerous volunteer work (and grateful for our warm houses and hot cups of tea); the obligatory cat book (but it’s adorable, so please check it out!); and a few other bibliographic gems.

Until next week — happy reading and happy Thanksgiving!

• “Boundless Books: 50 Literary Classics Transformed into Works of Art,” by Postertext: We’ve all heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Now it’s true thanks to this unique book. By transforming text into art, characters and themes reveal themselves in such classics as “Aesop’s Fables,” “Frankenstein,” and “The Wizard of Oz.” If you’ve always meant to read “Beowulf” but never seem to find the time, give the “Boundless Books” version a try. You just might be able to cross that title off your book bucket list.

• “Found: A Life in Mountain Rescue,” by Bree Loewen: Currently a board member for the Seattle Mountain Rescue organization, Bree Loewen has participated in hundreds of rescues of people in trouble in and around the Cascade Mountains. It’s difficult enough rescuing an injured climber or skier during daylight hours, but imagine locating, tending, and bringing someone down the mountain at night. Grab a blanket and a hot drink and settle yourself in for Loewen’s stories about the dangerous yet rewarding life of mountain rescue.

• “Glass Gardens: Easy Terrariums, Aeriums, and Aquariums for Your Home or Office,” by Melanie Florence: It’s that time of year when nature drops its leaves and says, “Toodle-oo, see you next spring!” Yeah, things are looking kind of bare and brown outside. But there’s an easy way to insert a little green in your life — create a terrarium garden. “Glass Gardens” takes you through the process step by step, and you won’t even break a sweat.

• “Sam, the Cat with Eyebrows,” by Amanda Collado: This probably sounds like a children’s picture book, but it isn’t. Sam, a real cat with perfectly positioned markings that resemble eyebrows, is the star of this short but completely charming pictorial work. I’m sure like any cat Sam displays a variety of cat moods, but his quirky “eyebrows” tend to give him a permanent look of concern. If Groucho Marx came back as a cat, I’m pretty sure he’d look like Sam.

• “Walker Evans: Decade by Decade,” by James Crump: In case you didn’t know this, the library’s collection includes many art and photography books. Because these tend to be larger books (“coffee table books” is a good way to describe them) I often see library patrons looking at them in the library but not necessarily taking them home. If you don’t mind a little heft now and then, consider checking out one of these beautiful books. I’m a fan of Walker Evans’ photography, so that’s the reason I chose this particular title. He is best known for his black and white photographs of people and places taken during America’s Great Depression, but all of his work is worth seeing.

• “The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse,” written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen: I am a huge fan of children’s book author and illustrator Jon Klassen (I mean it — huge!), so when I saw that he had illustrated a new picture book by Mac Barnett, I did a happy dance. One thing I should point out, though. If you’re expecting a sweet story with sweet little animals, you probably need to find a different book. But if you (and your little one) appreciate sly humor and animals behaving rather badly, add this title to your reading list. As the duck says to the wolf, “I may have been swallowed, but I have no intention of being eaten.” Wickedly charming.

• “Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries,” by Kory Stamper: I’m a “word nerd,” and I hope you are, too, because Stamper’s book is an etymological wonderland — sometimes irreverent, always engaging and just plain fun to read. Be sure to look up the word “pumpernickel.” The German translation of this word is the equivalent of a literary curveball.

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