Chill with a good book this winter

Lawrence library staffers share picks

Go Click It

Time critics pick the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to present. You’ll see children’s titles, too, like “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” by C.S. Lewis.

This popular group is working on “A New Earth,” with workbooks, discussions and webcasts. Check out the past reads, too.

Looking to curl up with a good book to stave off the winter doldrums? Here are some suggestions for warm reading from employees at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt.

“A mystery, a well-written romance or a biography is a good winter book. I do most of my reading in bed all year long. When the weather is colder, I like to burrow in the covers while I read my book. It is a great way to unwind after a busy day. When I get sleepy, all I must do is turn off the light. Some good books set in warm places are Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody mysteries, set in Egypt, and James Michener’s ‘Hawaii’ and ‘The Source.'”

— Carole Dibben, circulation department

“Contrary to the question, a book from a really cold place provides some helpful perspective during the Kansas winter. Read ‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich’ by Alexander Solzhenitsyn or ‘Arctic Dreams’ by Barry Lopez, and you’ll think, as you look at the gray days and blowing snow outside the window, ‘This isn’t so bad.'”

— Jake Vail, adult services

“The worse the weather is (whether it’s raining, windy or cold and snowy) the more likely I am to read right next to a window. When the weather is bad I like to be by the window so I can look up every once in a while to see how much nicer it is in the book before I bury myself right back in the story.”

— Brendan Hubbs, adult services

“I like to hunker down in my house as soon as the sun sets, so I have more space in my life to read when nighttime starts creeping in with 5 o’clock traffic. With more time for books, I like to climb into bed, snuggle under several fluffy comforters and read trashy memoirs and fluffy fiction. A particular fine piece of fluffy fiction is the adventure romp ‘Geek Mafia: Mile Zero,’ set in hot and sunny Key West, Fla.”

— Chantel Guidry, adult services

“I don’t think my reading habits change with the weather, but because it gets darker sooner, it seems like I have more opportunity to read during the winter. What type of book? Biographies. They tend to be longer and more detailed, so having that extra reading time helps. Set in a warm place? One of my favorite books is David McCullough’s ‘Path Between the Seas,’ about the building of the Panama Canal.”

— Pattie Johnston, senior outreach