Reading for the weather
I spent my childhood at the public library. Every week my siblings and I would raid the childrens’ section, leaving with bags and bags of books. Since then, my taste in books has gotten a bit more sophisticated. I am happiest when I am reading for the weather. When I read a grey book in the fall or a bright book in the spring I feel one with the world.
Here’s what you should read each month to read for the weather:
1. January
January has the same cold, but it’s a different kind of cold. It’s new and fresh but long and dark. A Little Life matches that emotional energy. The story follows four male friends as they grow through college and become young adults. What makes it special is Hanya Yanagihara’s abilty to create complexity of the characters’ relaionship with sexual identity.
2. February
February disguises the brutal cold with love, friendship, and slightly brighter days. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston will bring you to tears again and again. The story follows Janie Crawford, a black woman in the 20th century, through her journey of self-discovery and love. Despite her being so different from me, I couldn’t help but feel her sorrow as if it was mine.
3. March
March is the first hint of spring. Some days rainy and others bright and summery. Braiding Sweetgrass is Robin Wall Kimmerer’s world as an American ecology professor and a Native American women. It’s the perfect spring read because it rings of sweet rain and new beginnings. Her words will leave you with a new appreciation for our ecosystem.
4. April
April brings chaos. It’s finally spring but the proximity to summer is nerve-wrecking. Story Of My Teeth, originally written in Spanish, is the perfect aid to chaos. It chronicles the life of Gustavo “Highway” Sánchez Sánchez as he uses his charm to collect historical artifacts for aution — one of them being a set of teeth that once belonged to Marilyn Monroe.
5. May
The weather is finally sunny and bright, allowing for more picnics, walks, and outdoor reading. May is a time for reflection and understanding others. That is why I recommend The Good Immigrant, a collection of 26 writters’ reflections on living in America as first and second generation citizens. The ability to capture voices from so many cultures is what makes this read special.
6. June
June is bright and fresh. It’s the beginning of summer plans and everything is new. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a great follow up to June’s read that also parallels this newness. It chronicals a Nigerian woman (Ifemelu)’s life as she immigrates to America and navigates what it means to be “Americanah.” This is a must read because of the impecible job Adichie does in describing what it feels like to be an immigrant in America.
7. July
In July, the heat has become normal. Summer parties and mid-day swims are common and students feel nostalgic as they realize the closeness of the coming academic year. Tara Westover’s memoir Educated highlights the power of knowledge by showing us how Westover left her Mormon left behind to go to college in the pursuit of something greater.
8. August
August marks the end of summer. We spend the month in constant shock of how fast life is moving. Einstien’s Dreams is the perfect aid to this confusion. Each chapter is a new world in which time works according to a different law. My favorite chapter describes a world in which every day our memory resets and people keep of a book of their lives — some choose to read their book every day while others choose to live every day anew.
9. September
September is almost perfect. It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold. We can use this perfection to reflect on how advanced our civilization is. If you haven’t already read it, you must read Brave New World in September. The renowned Aldous Huxley describes the current and future state of our ever-growing world with such precision. This book will forever change your outlook on the future of the human race.
10. October
October marks the start of cloudy days and windy nights. Ray Bradbuty’s Something Wicked This Way Comes is the perfect aid to October’s spooky energy. The dark fantasy is about two 13 year-old boys and a traveling carnival that brings about havic on their small Illinois town. Bradbury’s mystical and whispy writting makes this book hard to but down.
11. November
November is the beginning of long, dark nights and breaking in winter coats. It forces us to consider the relationships we’ve made and the people that have impacted us. Although it was written nearly a decade ago, The Great Gatsby is hard to put down and easy to relate to. The novel chronicles the life of Long Island millionarie Gatsby as he searches for false love.
12. December
December is a time of reflection on the year. The Day the Sun Died is a story of a village whose residents begin sleep walking and live out their surpressed desires. The village exists the lives the next day as if the sun never sets. What makes this read special is Yan Lianke’s ability to use tragic poise and political resonance to write a creepy fabel-like story.
This is the second post of a challenge I am doing — one post a week for the month of March. I want to challenge myself to think deeply about a topic of importance for at least a few hours a week. If you catch me missing a week, I’ll buy you a coffee!
