Top Winter Break Book Recommendations
What do Franklin & Marshall faculty members and staff read to unwind? Not surprisingly, the campus is full of voracious readers. As students closed out the semester, the Office of Communications sought recommendations for the best winter break reads. From moving memoirs to outdoor survival guides, there’s a title to pique the interest of every bookworm.
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Nowhere for Very Long, by Brianna Madia
258 pages; published April 2022 by HarperOne
From the publisher: In this beautifully written, vividly detailed memoir, a young woman chronicles her adventures traveling across the deserts of the American West in an orange van named Bertha and reflects on an unconventional approach to life. A woman defined by motion, Brianna Madia bought a beat-up bright orange van, filled it with her two dogs, Bucket and Dagwood, and headed into the canyons of Utah with her husband.
Nic says: “The story gives the reader a little bit of everything, from hardship and tragedy to resiliency and triumph (and all the funny little moments in between).”
A Manual for Cleaning Women, by Lucia Berlin
406 pages; published August 2015 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
From the publisher: With the grit of Raymond Carver, the humor of Grace Paley, and a blend of wit and melancholy all her own, Berlin crafts miracles from the everyday, uncovering moments of grace in the Laundromats and halfway houses of the American Southwest, in the homes of the Bay Area upper class, among switchboard operators and struggling mothers, hitchhikers and bad Christians.
Lydia says: “I’ve returned to this wonderful collection of short stories multiple times. Intimate, messy, and sometimes unnerving, Berlin’s stories portray characters on the fringes with clarity, compassion, and a wry wit.”
The Island of Happiness, by Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy; illustrated by Natalie Frank
240 pages; published May 2021 by Princeton University Press
From the publisher: This feast of words and visuals presents worlds where women exercise their independence and push against rigid social rules. Fidelity and sincerity are valued over jealousy and greed, though not everything ends seamlessly.
Lisa says: “The Island of Happiness is a collection of fantastic tales by 17th-century author Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy. The French invented the literary fairy tale, and Madame d’Aulnoy’s tales were among the most famous in her day. The tales are edgy, unsettling and hugely entertaining. As an added pleasure, the newly issued translation includes gorgeous illustrations.”
Bonus recommendation: “If you enjoy eco-fiction, then I recommend Migrations, a novel by Australian writer Charlotte McConaghy. It’s the story of a young woman who accompanies the crew of a fishing vessel as she tracks the migration of Arctic terns from Greenland to the Antarctic. It’s been described as epic and intimate, an ‘ode to a disappearing world."
State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett
384 pages; published May 2012 by Harper Perennial
From the publisher: As Dr. Marina Singh embarks upon an uncertain odyssey into the insect-infested Amazon, she will be forced to surrender herself to the lush but forbidding world that awaits within the jungle. Charged with finding her former mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson, a researcher who has disappeared while working on a valuable new drug, she will have to confront her own memories of tragedy and sacrifice as she journeys into the unforgiving heart of darkness.
Sue says: “It’s a compelling story, and so beautifully written.”
Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr
626 pages; published September 2021 by Scribner
From the publisher: Among the most celebrated and beloved novels of recent times, Cloud Cuckoo Land is a triumph of imagination and compassion, a soaring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in worlds in peril, who find resilience, hope and a book.
Gretchen says: “It is an amazing, complex novel that simultaneously spans past, present and future in a series of interwoven stories about a lost manuscript that demonstrates the power of literature to connect people and places."
Discipline is Destiny, by Ryan Holiday
352 pages; published September 2022 by Penguin Random House
From the publisher: Holiday draws on the stories of historical figures we can emulate as pillars of self-discipline, including Lou Gehrig, Queen Elizabeth II, boxer Floyd Patterson, Marcus Aurelius and writer Toni Morrison, as well as the cautionary tales of Napoleon, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Babe Ruth. Through these engaging examples, Holiday teaches readers the power of self-discipline and balance, and cautions against the perils of extravagance and hedonism.
Lauren says: “It is the second book in Ryan Holiday’s series focused on stoic virtues (courage, temperance, justice, wisdom). The book is a quick read with short examples of historical figures who mastered self-discipline and teaches how discipline is predictive. Courage is Calling is the first book of the stoic series.”
Trouble the Saints, by Alaya Dawn Johnson
352 pages; published July 2020 by Tor Books
From the publisher: Amidst the whir of city life, a girl from Harlem is drawn into the glittering underworld of Manhattan, where she’s hired to use her knives to strike fear amongst its most dangerous denizens. But the ghosts from her past are always by her side—and history has appeared on her doorstep to threaten the people she loves most. Can one woman ever sacrifice enough to save an entire community?
Kate says: “It is a sort of noir gangster novel with supernatural elements that powerfully addresses the experience of racial oppression in the U.S. I loved the interweaving of the classic noir genre with a serious depiction of the effects of racism and violence on the characters.”
Bonus recommendations: “Every Deep Drawn Breath by Wes Ely is the memoir of an ICU doctor who realized that the life-saving techniques he employed created long-term brain damage and disability and how he went about convincing his field that they had to change treatment. I respect the difficulty and integrity required for this doctor to so deeply criticize his own actions and his training. The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher is a fun, horrible fairy tale told by an author described by NPR's Tasha Robinson as ‘...the most practical, down-to-earth author writing about ninja frogs and feminist hamster princesses today.’”
Advanced Bushcraft: An Expert Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival, by Dave Canterbury
256 pages, published September 2014 by Simon & Schuster
From the publisher: Based on the 5 Cs of Survivability—cutting tools, covering, combustion devices, containers, and cordages—this valuable guide offers only the most important survival skills to help you craft resources from your surroundings and truly experience the beauty and thrill of the wilderness.
Chris says: “This is a great field guide for people who enjoy nature, whether it be hiking, camping, exploring. It’s full of advanced tips on fire starting, natural resources, navigation, temporary shelters, and outdoor cooking.”
Black Cake, by Charmaine Wilkerson
385 pages, published February 2022 by Ballantine Books
From the publisher: Charmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.
Marissa says: “Every time I was home for winter break in college, I gained a different perspective of the people who raised me. Can we ever really understand and know everything about the people we love? What kinds of lives did they live before us? Told through various perspectives across generations, cultures, and across the globe, Black Cake is a novel about two siblings who come together after the death of their mother, who left them with nothing but a black cake. As they struggle to understand its meaning, they are transported back through the life of their parents and uncover secrets and new perspectives on their own lives. One of my favorite books of the year – incredibly well written and rich with character development. If you like coming-of-age stories and family drama, this one's for you.”
Grey Bees, by Andrey Kurkov
The Books of Jacob, by Olga Tokarczuk
Lote, by Shola von Reinhold
Stone says: "Kurkov because of its timeliness (he’s a Ukrainian writer and the book is about life in wartime); Tokarczuk because of the ways she thinks about history (which feels like an especially relevant topic these days, particularly with the coming of a new year); von Reinhold because of how she shows how even familiar stories have hidden heroes."
Bad Blood, by John Carreyrou
American Scripture, by Pauline Maier
Reign of Terror, by Spencer Ackerman
Harsh Times, by Mario Vargas Llosa
At Night all Blood is Black, by David Diop
Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel
Berwood says: "These are a few books that have some relation to current events, either political, geopolitical, tech, or entertainment."