28 Jan Winter reading

Surviving winter in Ontario is arduous. Short, grey days punctuated by bone-chilling nights. Skin dry and cracked like the surface of the frozen lake. Salt caked on boots, pants and dog paws.

Thank god for books – there’s no better distraction from the bitterest of seasons. Winter reading should be like stew — thick, warm, nourishing.

2011’s reading list has so far consisted of Remainder, by Tom McCarthy and Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen. If you’re in the mood for something macabre, unsettling and oddly entertaining, I’d recommend Remainder. If you’d rather have an epic modern family drama, try Franzen’s latest offering. Both are delicious reads.