5 Books to Read on a Rainy Day
You had plans—yardwork, a day at the beach, a long bike ride.
But Mother Nature had other plans. You wake up to rain, and the forecast shows no end in sight until at least tomorrow.
Perfect! Time to brew a cup of tea, curl up in your favorite comfy chair, and dive into a great book. Here are my top 5 book recommendations to read on a cozy, rainy day.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)
The first time I read this classic parable of human nature run amok, I got through it in a single, sleepless night. You don’t have to do that, but it’s definitely short enough to finish in one long, rainy day.
For an in-depth conversation about this amazing book, I invite you to listen to this 2-part episode of Splanchnics: part 1 here; part 2 here.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)
This archetypal tale, together with The Lord of the Rings, launched the twentieth-century popularity of epic fantasy. Perfect for solitary reading, or as a read-aloud for the whole family. Don’t forget to take a break for “elevenses” and afternoon tea.
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, volume 1: 1929-1964 by Robert Silverberg, editor (1970)
If you prefer not to commit to a whole book, try a short story collection. This one is a collection of the best stories from the “golden age” of science fiction, and includes stories by Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, and more. My favorite story in this collection is Jerome Bixby’s terrifying 1953 tale “It’s a Good Life!” This book is on my list of essential science fiction books. In this first season episode of our podcast, Splanchnics, my cohost Hannah and I talk about our respective “sci fi short lists.”
The Essays of E.B. White (1977)
E.B. White is widely regarded as one of the best prose stylists in the English language. He co-wrote (with William Strunk, Jr.) the acclaimed guide for writers The Elements of Style. To most readers, however, he is best known as the author of the children’s classics Charlotte’s Web, The Trumpet of the Swan, and Stuart Little. This is a collection of essays from his time at The New Yorker, where he served as a staff writer for fifty years. If you want to learn how to write, read White.
Frankenstein – The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley (1818)
During the summer of 1816, Mary Shelley and her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley were vacationing with friends in Lake Geneva (Switzerland) and were stuck inside during torrential rains. This is when she wrote the first draft of Frankenstein. It may have been a disappointing vacay for the Shelleys, but the result was one of the greatest horror stories of all time.
Listen to Hannah and I talk more about the horror genre here in this early episode of Splanchnics.
Bonus:
If you’ve got children and want them to do something other than bury their noses in electronic screens all day, try What To Do With the Kids on a Rainy Day by Adrienne Katz (1987—yes: pre-internet)!
If you’d like to pick up your own copies of these books, consider following this link to my Bookshop.org store. This is an affiliate link, which means you will still receive a discount on your purchase, but Bookshop.org will give me a small commission in return for sending my readers to them. Thank you so much for your support — it means a lot!