March has finally arrived, blustery and cold, but with the promise of warmer weather in the air. All the rain and slush makes March the perfect time to curl up indoors with a book, especially since April (and the real spring months) will roll around pretty soon and draw everyone outside with their friendlier weather. With this in mind, you should get your reading in while it’s still cozy! Here are some books you can check out at Ladd Library that fit the month’s rainy, capricious mood.
“Station Eleven” is a slim, poignant novel about living on after the apocalypse can hit a little too close to home. On one wintry, snowy night, a famous actor dies of a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. Before the day is out, 99% percent of the world’s population is dead of an unrelated pandemic outbreak. The novel follows a handful of survivors— all of whom are connected to the actor in some way— as they pick up the fragments of their lives in the wake of this inconceivable tragedy. “Survival is insufficient” is the mantra of this novel, which doubles as a testament to the power of art, culture, music, and human connection. Although the book starts in the throes of a winter blizzard, it ends with summer, laughter and joy. If you want a hopeful novel to remind you that spring is on the way, this is a perfect pick.
“Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” is a nonfiction narrative which reflects on seasonality, philosophy and the joint horror and wonder of the natural world. Think Walden, if Thoreau was a twenty-something young woman writing in the 70s. Although “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” invites reflection on the horror and brutality of the natural world— and human nature— it’s also a celebration of the universe and our place in it. There is a real vitality behind Dillard’s words. Parasites suck out the insides of frogs, blind people see trees two dimensionally, a flooded river destroys its bridge. Dillard records it all in her reflective, energetic style. I’d especially recommend this book to biology and philosophy majors.
If you want this book you’re going to have to order it from Colby’s collection, but I’d be remiss not to mention it. “The Western Wind” is a medieval mystery novel told in reverse over the course of four holy days, leading up to Shrove Saturday. The story is narrated by the parish priest, Reve, who has been investigating the sudden death of Newman, the town’s wealthiest landowner. Was his death an accident? Or is something more sinister afoot? This transportative novel has a strong sense of atmosphere, so that the reader feels like they’re really among the characters in that ragged English village by the river. Moreover, you’d be hard pressed to find a more March novel in terms of mood. “The Western Wind” is wet, windy, stricken and expectant— perfect for our transition into spring.
When it comes to wind-swept, rainy moodiness, there’s no novel more famous than Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”. This gothic novel is equal parts tender and twisted, passionate and detached. It is the tale of the obsessive love affair between Catherine and her adopted brother Heathcliffe, the fallout of which casts a long shadow over the rising generation. This is the perfect novel to read cozied up in your dorm (or the Ronj) during a rainstorm. Although it’s not exactly a hopeful book, it absolutely captures the chilly, desperate spirit of the early winter-spring transition. Plus it has ghosts, so that’s always a bonus.
