Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn a commission on all qualifying purchases. Thank you!
When it comes to getting through the bleak days that follow the holiday season, seeking joy in the ordinary, everyday activities can be a great way to muddle through. In an attempt to escape the blues, I’ve spent the weekend in the throws of domesticity, cleaning, organizing, decluttering. Taming chaos into order always lifts my spirits. As I sit here in my cozy chair writing this, another winter storm is touching down in Western Massachusetts.
But I’m not worried. I’ve been a New Englander for some time now, and my winter survival kit is well stocked. Excessive amounts of hot cocoa aside, it is brimming with old movies and cozy books, some of them tales of decorating bravery, others of mystery and intrigue, others laughing-out-loud funnies. In case you need some suggestions, here’s a list of favorites old and new, not all about decorating, but entertaining just the same 🙂
The Well Adorned House, by Cathy Kincaid
The Great American House, by Gil Schafer III
The Perfectly Imperfect Home, by Deborah Needleman
Near & Far – Interiors I Love, by Lisa Fine
Nicky Haslam’s Folly de Grandeur
Decorating the Way I See It, by Markham Roberts
Creating a Home, by Kathryn M. Ireland
British Designers at Home, by Jenny Rose-Innes
The Bee Cottage Story, by Frances Schultz
One Man’s Folly – The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood, by Julia Reed
In the Garden with Jane Austen, by Kim Wilson
Jane Austen loved a garden. She took a keen interest in flower gardening and kitchen gardening alike. This book strolls through the sorts of gardens that Jane Austen would have known and visited: the gardens of the great estates, cottage gardens, gardens in town, and public gardens and parks. Some of the gardens she owned or knew exist still in some form today; among the gardens highlighted is the restored garden at Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton, England, complete with a sample planting plan of the flowers grown there now. The book also includes touring information for gardens featured in film adaptations of the novels. With lush photos, social history, excerpts from the novels, information on her life, and period drawings, this book brings Georgian and Regency gardens and Jane Austen’s world to life. In the Garden with Jane Austen captures the essence and beauty of the traditional English garden. As the heroine of Mansfield Park Fanny Price observes, “To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure, is the most perfect refreshment.”
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, by P. D. James
Jane Austen’s Garden – A Botanical Tour of the Classic Novels, by Molly Williams
Through explorations of the botanical inspirations and symbolism in Austen’s work and personal life, as well as historical information about the gardens and landscapes of the Regency Era, Jane Austen’s Garden will transport readers back in time to the lush English landscape of the early 1800s. Woven throughout are DIY projects to help you create a home garden worthy of a surprise visit from Lady Catherine de Bourgh or maybe just give your dining table a bit of historical flair. Accessible, entertaining, and enhanced by the enchanted illustrations of celebrated artist Jessica Roux, Jane Austen’s Garden is a fun twist on a familiar subject that will delight plant lovers and Janeites alike.
Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris
A Walk in the Woods – Rediscovering America through the Appalachian Trails, by Bill Bryson
The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America – majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way – and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).
What books are helping you survive the winter blues?
