End the Year Reading

Thoughts on Books for December

I don’t discuss actual books nearly enough in these newsletters—something I’d like to change in the new year. So, in the spirit of starting as you mean to continue, let’s have a bookish chat. I’m looking at this as a combination of books I’m reading, books I recommend for the season, and a few potential gift ideas for anyone shopping for the readers in their lives.

Photo by Jas Min on Unsplash

It will surprise none of you to learn I’ve had a disappointing reading year, entirely based on time spent and number of books I managed to finish. There was just too much going on. When I carved out reading time, the bulk of it went to work-related reading, which I enjoy but is not quite the same as falling into a book I had no involvement with whatsoever. I wrote about my difficulties with reading and focus at the end of the summer, and I’m still fighting with the same problems. But the turn of the calendar has also changed my reading outlook. December reading is its own creature.

My reading habits have always been seasonal, and growing up in New England meant December was a time for cozy reads. Holiday stories, rereads of old favorites, books set in wintery landscapes where days are short and darkness brings mystery. I love when a book makes me reach for a sweater, no matter the weather where I am. Even in Los Angeles, the temperatures drop in December, bringing chilly nights curled up under a throw with hot chocolate and a good read. My favorite part of the month is the stretch between Christmas and New Year’s when I was always off from school and, in later years, have taken off from work. Reading during the last week of the year feels especially indulgent and wonder-filled.

The other thing about reading in December is I typically gravitate toward lower page counts. It’s not deliberate so much as coincidental. I reread books from childhood, or dip into old favorites to enjoy certain chapters that focus on holiday adventure. I pick up poetry and graphic novels. And so many Christmas tales are short stories or novellas.

Shorter books also appeal during years such as this, where I read fewer books than I’d have liked. I gave up setting annual reading goals long ago, but I do still feel like I’ve missed out somehow if the end of the year rolls around with little to show for it in terms of books to recommend or discuss. If I discover a few short gems in December, I feel better.

Photo by Vaibhav Raina on Unsplash

Speaking of, let’s get down to it. Time to share titles, and I hope you find something fun to pick up, whether you’re looking for holiday gifts or packing your own TBR. I’ve divided up my recommendations into categories, but there’s plenty of overlap, and some additional resources at the end.

Books in Brief: Around 200 Pages or Less

The first two titles in this category require a bit of a story. A couple of weeks ago, in the wake of a chaotic few months, I took myself off to wander my local independent bookstore. I was not looking to buy anything—in fact I specifically told myself I was not allowed to buy anything—because I still haven’t unpacked all my books from my recent move, and at least some are destined for a storage unit. It was comfort-shopping; looking at all the pretty books in the store to see what was new and remind myself that yes, people do still read.

So it was that on November 18^th, I found myself standing at the recent-paperbacks table in Vroman’s Bookstore, picking up one book after another to read the back, then carefully replacing them on their tidy stacks. And I made a discovery: two of the books took place over the course of a single day, and in both cases, that day was November 18^th. I am, for the most part, a very grounded person, but this was the sort of coincidence that makes me shiver. And so, yes, I ended up going home with two new books—though in the case of one of the titles, I had to venture to the fiction section because the recent release was third in a series and I needed to locate book one.

The Ferryman and His Wife by Frode Grytten, translated by Alison McCullough. The cover of this pulled me in, and then the description hooked me. It follows widower Nils Vik, long ill, as he takes his boat along the fjord for what he instinctively understands will be the final day of his life. As he ferries along, each location inspires a memory based on the passengers he met there, and like another ferryman, Vik picks up those same passengers—now long-deceased—to accompany him on his last route. It’s a beautifully written, haunting book, that shows the quiet wisdom and depth of what, on the surface, seems like a very ordinary life.

On the Calculation of Volume: I by Solvej Balle, translated by Barbara Haveland. Groundhog Day-like, this book follows the life of antiquarian book dealer Tara Selter, who is reliving November 18^th as it repeats over and over. The back cover describes her has having “involuntarily stepped off the train of time,” which is the phrases that had me all in. I’m a sucker for stories where time goes off those rails, and a bookish heroine is, of course, an added draw. I am reading this currently but already know I will need to go pick up the next two books very soon. There will by seven, total, and there is something of a buzz about them that I managed to miss in the chaos of my life this year. If you’re curious, you can read about Balle and her project here.

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. I own two copies of this and cannot find either, which is annoying me at the moment. However, it’s a terrific book to read at this time of year. It’s the actual correspondence between a single writer living and working in NYC after World War II and the English bookseller she corresponds with for decades in an attempt to purchase good quality, reasonably priced copies of classic books that are either unavailable or very poorly bound in the U.S. at the time. The letters are delightful: the contrast between her wry, sarcastic tone and his polite, British businessman develops over time into banter as they get to know each other, and other voices occasionally get into the mix as Helene sends holiday packages to the store’s staff once she learns how severe post-war rations are and various staff start sending thank you notes and their own gifts as well. If you’ve never read it, I direct you to acquire a copy post haste. It’s slim and you can dip in and out if you’d like but also read straight through if you want a more narrative feel.

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie. Rushdie writes about the attack on him in August, 2022, but more about his recovery, both physical and emotional. It sounds like a grim book—and it is, in a few spots—but at heart it’s a story of human resilience and the importance of art in our lives. There are worse ways to end the year than by reading a survival story.

Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter. This is a very strange little book, but it had been on my TBR list for many years and so many people I respect had recommended it that I finally picked up a copy earlier this year, in part because I was looking for something short that still packed a punch. Porter’s first novel, it tells of a London family—two little boys and their father—and their struggle to move forward with life after the mother’s death. The father is a Ted Hughes scholar, and so in this story, Hughes’s Crow comes to care for the children and father—part odd nanny, part trickster, part voice-of-wisdom—until they no longer need him. The writing is poetic and unhinged and darkly hilarious. I think it’s a story for a very specific mood, but it’s well worth a read and it’s a very December book to me.

Holiday Feels

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Like many readers, I feel like the Christmas-time opening of this novel combined with the overall family atmosphere makes it an excellent, cozy read for this time of year.

The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. This is not the Disney version; it’s the original novel, and a far more lovely reading experience. I credit it for my early fascination with London, because the city and surrounding countryside serve as almost an additional character. It’s a wonderful adventure, set during the winter, filled with hope and determination and very smart dogs. Read it aloud to your kids or just to yourself, in front of a fire if you can swing it.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. A classic for a reason. If you’ve never read the original, give it a go. And if you get a volume with other Dickens Christmas stories in it, all the better. I try to read this every year, especially when I’m coming to the end of a more challenging one. Literary optimism goes a long way to set the tone for a new year.

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison. A bit of holiday romance, and the first in a series of standalones set in a small town. There’s a ton of Christmas/holiday romance novels out each year, but this won me over with its terrific characters and combination of tropes. The heroine owns a failing Christmas tree farm and so enters a social media contest hoping to win the money needed to rescue the business. We’ve got fake dating and an underlying mystery, plus a wealth of holiday decorating and misadventures.

O Little Town of Bethlehem by Elizabeth Boyle. Madeline Drake, a woman on the verge of stardom, finds herself jettisoned into the past when an accident on a snowy road drops her in Bethlehem, Wyoming—one hundred years earlier. It’s a mysterious little town, where they operate on wishes and second chances, and in order to leave, you must first prove your worth within 30 days. Desperate to return to the modern world, Madeline struggles to find a work around, but each day becomes more entwined with the quirky residents and their secrets. A wonderful look at friendship, community, and redemption, set during the run up to Christmas.

For Dipping

Noel Streatfeild’s Christmas Stories. If you loved Ballet Shoes as a child, this is for you. A collection of holiday/winter-themed stories that originally appeared in various magazines and on the radio during the 1940s-1960s. Another nice read-aloud option for anyone with kids.

Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days by Jeanette Winterson. Decidedly more grown up, in Winterson’s distinctive voice. A fun collection, and the feasts in question include recipes and directions that are as delightful to read as they would be to make (if you’re so inclined). A very English feel.

Stories of Books and Libraries edited by Jane Holloway. A lovely collection of essays, short fiction, and excerpts, all about bookish topics. It’s one of the pretty little Everyman Pocket Classics editions, and would make a terrific gift for anyone bookish, including yourself. Authors included range from Ray Bradbury, Ali Smith, and Helen Oyeyemi to Evelyn Waugh, Charles Lamb, Jorge Luis Borges, and Walter Benjamin. Something for everyone, and a good way to try some new-to-you writers.

Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman. A collection of bookish essays, on topics from merging libraries with a significant other to thoughts on inscriptions on the flyleaf. These essays, for some reason, are perfect for those times you want desperately to read something but have no idea what. Low commitment, often inspiring. Great little book to have on hand, and excellent for the busy season.

Other Options

Whether you’re looking for a tome to drag under the covers for a cold winter night or to read on the beach somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere, the holidays can be a great time to tackle one fat novel. Dickens is always a great choice. And Austen feels particularly appropriate this year, given all the celebrations and chatter about the 250^th anniversary of her birth this month, plus her page counts are a little more reasonable. Or if nonfiction’s your thing, check out some recent biographies. Ron Chernow tackled Mark Twain this year. And no doubt you have a few door-stops in your TBR that might be calling to you.

If, however, you’re seeking something new and shiny beyond these ideas, I recommend you check out NPR’s list of books they liked this year, formerly referred to as the Book Concierge, a name that was utterly perfect and I refuse to discard, even if they did. Very sortable, with a ton of diverse offerings that came out in 2025.

Naturally, you can also check out the websites of your favorite authors to see if you’ve missed anything from their backlist. Or come visit us over at The Knight Agency website and scroll through great titles from our authors.

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I hope you’ve picked up some reading and/or gift-giving inspiration. More than anything, I hope you find time this last month of the year to curl up with a wonderful read, be it a new discovery or an old favorite. Are you reading something you’d love to recommend? Leave a comment and let us know. I’d love to hear what’s got you turning pages past your bedtime.

For those of you writing through the month, don’t forget to check out the tips in my last post for my writing challenge, and be on the lookout for periodic cheerleading on social media.

Thanks, as always, for joining me here and for reading. Until the next one!🥰