As the weather gets colder, it gets more difficult to spend time outside. Keep your mind active by reading instead of watching show after show. A great place to start reading is with the classics. You know that you’ll get a fascinating story that will keep you captivated, and you’ll begin to understand when references come up in other cultural settings.

1. Harper Lee | To Kill A Mockingbird: It was published during the height of the civil rights movement. A little girl’s father is a lawyer who takes a tough case in a polarized town. It’s based in the deep south, and asks questions about race and the mentally challenged. It encourages people to not jump to conclusions about people.
2. George Orwell | 1984: In the early 1900s, Orwell wrote about a futuristic, dystopian society that he saw the culture moving towards. This book is about how the human psyche can control others and manipulate power. It’s an unnerving cautionary tale about how human greed and complacency could get the better of us.
3. Mary Shelley | Frankenstein: When Shelley was just 18 years old, she started this novel as a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends. After the first few pages, she was encouraged to keep writing. This novel dives into what it means to be human, what scientific interference can do to our humanity, and the ethics of scientific discoveries. It comes from the interesting perspective of the monster.
4. Jane Austen | Pride and Prejudice: This is a romantic tale of a stubborn woman named Elizabeth and her equally stubborn suitor, Mr. Darcy. It asks questions about what love is, and touches on how to maintain your values while finding happiness in marriage.
5. Ray Bradbury | Fahrenheit 451: This book tells the story of a futuristic society that prizes virtual reality experiences over education. Firefighters are the ones who start fires, instead of putting them out. Both owning a book and reading are illegal, and the firefighters are taught to burn books at the temperature of 451 degrees. It discusses the importance of how quickly an idea can infiltrate people’s minds and cause change.
6. J.D. Salinger | Catcher in the Rye: This book was once banned from being published. It’s written in a form similar to stream of consciousness. It’s like peaking into the mind of a young boy who is coming of age. You see and walk with him through his strange impulses.
7. Charles Dickens | A Tale of Two Cities: Dickens is a critically acclaimed author whose work has stood the test of time. This work is about a father who was imprisoned for most of his daughter’s childhood. When he’s reunited in England, there are two men who fall in love with his daughter, Lucie. It’s a story of love and sacrifice.

One of the best ways to spend a cold day is to curl up with a cup of tea and a good book. Unwind every night by reading a chapter or two, and soon enough, you’ll have a library of literature under your belt. Reading opens up a whole new world waiting to be discovered.