National Stress-Free Holidays Month

Financial concerns, gifting expectations, special meal planning, and travel can contribute to significant stress during the holiday season. If anxiety is impacting your holiday enjoyment, these nonfiction books may help lighten your load and make the holidays a bit brighter.   

10%  Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-help that Actually Works - a True Story by Dan Harris

Emmy-Award winning anchor and correspondent for ABC News and host of the 10% Happier Podcast, Dan Harris describes his own experiences living with anxiety and shares guided meditations that help him manage the condition. 

Jewish Book Month November 24 - December 24

In honor of Jewish Book Month here are a few more of my favorite books by Jewish authors. 

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar is an immersive historical fantasy novel about a sassy scullion who hides her Jewish ancestory as well as her magical abilities during the Spanish Inquisition. I loved this mesmerizing and thought-provoking story. 

Our Favorite Seasonal Reads

While not exclusively seasonal reads, two of my favorite classic stories feature Christmas-themed elements and are particularly meaningful to read during the holidays.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Technically the second book in the popular Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the story that introduced many young readers to the magic of Narnia.

Clive Staples Lewis’ mesmerizing tale includes obvious symbols of the holidays with Father Christmas, special gifts, and sleigh rides through the snow. While many readers consider the novel to be an Christian allegory and C.S. Lewis wrote about his religious views in some of his other works, Lewis explicitly resisted categorizing The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as an allegory.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

John Irving’s classic novel about a young man with a damaged voice who views himself as God’s instrument on earth isn’t exactly a Christmas story either and at 640 pages may require a hefty time commitment to read during the busy holiday season. But conveniently, the story about transformative friendship between Johnny Wheelwright and Owen Meany can be read in sections. In the first third, John Irving describes a riotous Christmas pageant directed by and starring Owen Meany himself as well as a somber performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol that offers readers a seasonal emotional roller coaster ride. 

Pick up the story as time allows or even after the holidays to read about Owen’s college days and early adulthood in the second and third sections of the book. It's one of my favorite stories! 

Happy holidays and happy reading!   

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist

Season's Greetings from Sharon Forks Library