Today I'm pleased to introduce a guest post from Brittany Lyons. Brittany Lyons aspires to be a psychology professor, but decided to take some time off from grad school to help people learn to navigate the academic lifestyle. She currently lives in Spokane, Washington, where she spends her time reading. She was inspired to write this piece so that she could share her love of literature and the holidays with others. So without further ado...
During the fall and winter months, when the winds howl and the grey skies settle heavily over the land, there is no better way to warm the heart than with a cup of coffee and a hearty holiday novel. Novels set during the holiday season are plentiful and it can be difficult to choose one from among them, so much so that you may feel like you need an online PhD just to find the right one for you. Your search just got easier -- here is a list of holiday novels, some classic, some modern classics, to enjoy this holiday season.
1) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Dickens' 1843 masterpiece, ”A Christmas Carol” endures as one of the most potent stories of charity and redemption. Visited by spectral tour guides on Christmas Eve, the greedy Ebenezer Scrooge is shown the innocence of his youth, the joy and heartache of his fellow man and the terrifyingly bleak future that awaits him if he doesn't begin to show love and charity.
2) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
This perennial favorite follows the lives of the March sisters in Massachusetts. Though the plot follows their lives over several years, it is the charming, personal way Alcott describes enduring the long, harsh Massachusetts winters that makes Little Women a supremely comforting holiday read.
3) Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
A departure from his usual legal thrillers, Grisham's “Skipping Christmas” has a "clever, curmudgeonly edge," according to Publisher's Weekly. The novel tells the story of the Kranks, empty nesters who decide to skip all the fuss of a traditional Christmas and plan to sail to the Caribbean instead. Their decision has unpleasant implications, however, as the neighbors and vendors grow increasingly unhappy with the Kranks' decision. It all comes to a head when their daughter returns unexpectedly with a last-minute request for a traditional Christmas at home.
4) The Gift: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans
Publisher's Weekly praised the "tightly honed narrative" and USA Today noted the "effective" prose of this modern holiday classic. An emotionally damaged business traveler is stranded before Thanksgiving and shows kindness to a family with a devastating secret, with tissue-drenching results.
5) The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Although a children's book, this 1985 Caldecott Medal-winner belongs on this list because it became an instant classic due to its lush illustrations and sweet, simple story. On Christmas Eve, a boy travels by magical train to the North Pole to receive the first gift of Christmas. This family favorite is all about the power of belief and the wonder of Christmas.
Whether you need to stay warm in winter's chill or escape into the holiday spirit year-round, nothing fires the imagination like a good read. This list is merely a gateway to all the literature inspired by the holiday spirit. Under a warm blanket, these novels provide the kind of wonder and spirit that the holidays are all about.
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