When the weather turns cold, sometimes there’s nothing better than an afternoon with a warm blanket and a great book. We selected seven perfect winter reads that radiate cold. Put a coat on – you’ll catch your death!
Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer
Bestselling author Jon Krakauer writes the definitive account of one of the deadliest seasons in the history of Mount Everest. What compels people to scale its heights, literally risking life and limb? In Krakauer’s tale, a ”gentlemanly lawyer” from Michigan, a 56-year-old Australian anesthesiologist, a 47-year-old Japanese woman, and an American postal worker who had almost conquered Everest the previous year are among the climbers who had little or no mountaineering experience and had paid $65,000 each, excluding airfare and equipment costs, to be led to the summit. This one will have you shivering from page one.
Icebound – Dean Koontz
“The arctic night is endless. The fear is numbing. Screams freeze in the throat. Death arrives in shades of white. Cold-blooded murder seems right at home …. the chill of the grave.” If that doesn’t send a chill down your spine, you’re probably reading this on beach in Hawaii right now. A group of scientists are working in the arctic but they find themselves stranded on an iceberg in desperate peril. Oh, and there’s a murderer in their midst. Be sure you don’t get frostbite reading this one.
The Shining – Stephen King
The Torrance family has an entire resort hotel in Colorado all to themselves for a winter of relaxation and introspection. Wrong. When the supernatural forces of the Overlook take control, a warm winter day indoors never sounded worse. You’ve probably seen the movie but read the book. Getting snowed-in has never been more terrifying.
The Shipping News – Annie Proulx
Canada can get cold but the Newfoundland coast can get downright frigid. Quoyle takes his two daughters to his ancestral home in Eastern Canada where he tries to reclaim his life after leaving his unfaithful wife. Proulx paints a wintry picture of the small fishing town and its citizens, telling a tale of rebirth and redemption amidst a cold, gray winter.
South – Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton
Polar explorer Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton’s Antarctic expeditions have become legendary. The region was as unexplored and unmapped as the moon. South tells the tale in Shackleton’s own words – the hardships, the fight for survival, and the brutal elements that his team faced during the Endurance expedition.
No End in Sight : My Life as a Blind Iditarod Racer – Rachael Scdoris
The Iditarod sled dog race is tough enough – 1,049 miles of frigid trails through Nome, Alaska. In No End in Sight, 21-year-old Racheal Scdoris makes it even more difficult, competing in the race despite being legally blind. The book examines Rachael’s incredible odds and how she triumphed over her doubters and the elements to become the youngest athlete to complete the 500-mile race.
Walden – Henry David Thoreau
In his back-to-nature experiment, Henry David Thoreau builds a cabin on Walden Pond in Massachussetts and lives there for two years, disconnected from society. His year-round observations are classic reading, but it’s the winter scenes that are some of the most memorable – the quiet, the wildlife, and the frozen pond.
What did you think of the list? Do you have any winter titles you’d like to recommend? Comment below and share your picks!
