A Winter List of Books

In the flurry of holiday gatherings, I hope you find time to rest & recharge. Perhaps you'll join me in reserving time for a mug of golden milk (warm almond milk with turmeric, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, honey) & a pile of books. 
Here's what I would hand you if we were standing in front of one of my three bookshelves (against all appearances, I do in fact encourage library visits).

It was quite the challenge to narrow it down to these few, let me tell ya.

Traveling Mercies - Anne Lamott

Gritty and inspiring.

Bella Tuscany - Frances Mayes

Beautifully written by a poet refurbishing a home in Italy. 
The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis

Thought-provoking and hard to put down.
Beloved - Toni Morrison

Surprising and raw.
Lilith - George MacDonald

Dark and unusual, but with his characteristic "true fiction" vibe.
The Complete Father Brown Mysteries - G.K. Chesterton

Sarcasm and whodunit combined!
When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

Heart wrenching and fragile.
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver

A fat book with no shortage of entertainment.
Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

Heavy, but more than worth your time. 
Present Over Perfect - Shauna Niequist

A quick read that speaks real truth into our go go go culture. 
Till We Have Faces - C.S. Lewis

A phenomenal retelling of ancient myths.
My Life in France - Julia Child

An indulgent read that'll have your tummy rumbling. 
Garden City - John Mark Comer

It'll wreck your world and put it back together again.
The Space Trilogy - C.S. Lewis

Maybe the best piece of science fiction ever written.