• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Cookies
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Birthday Cake Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans
  • Shop

Our Winter Reading List

January 8, 2016 by Joy the Baker 54 Comments

the vacationers the leftovers to rise again
one more thing mr & mrs glasses ny notebook
jason priestley cat dish towel drip mugs

Hello, friends!  

Let’s talk about books.  

Winter reading is different from warm-weather Summertime reading.  Winter reading involves slippers, a hoodie jacket pulled well over our heads, and hopefully a hot toddy.  Winter words don’t flit about on beaches during Summer vacation.  I like a little more weight to the books I read in the cold weather, some thing that will match the heavy wool blanket I keep on my bed; the one that’s comforting despite how dang itchy it is.  

Here are some reads for our Winter-selves.  Aren’t you glad the holidays over so we can be regular people who flop on the couch with books instead of… running around not doing that? 

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff  •   The twisty, uncomfortable, intimate, and beautiful story of a marriage. I’ve read this and it hurts so good.  It’s beautifully written.  

Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein  •  From Sleater-Kinney and Portlandia, tell us how you happened, Carrie. 

We Are Water by Wally Lamb  •  It would be fair to say that everything Mr Lamb writes is worth reading.  He writes very well about resilience.  See also:  She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb  •  Remember how engrossing this was? 

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale  •  Let’s throw in some young adult, murder mystery fiction.

It’s What I Do: A photographers life of love and war by Lynsey Addario  •   A female conflict photographer’s life. I’m reading this now and it’s amazing!  I can’t put it down.  Let’s choose our lives and live them all the way.  

The First Bad Man by Miranda July  •  Miranda July and Carrie Browstein occupy the same space in my brain, but the way Miranda July tells the story of her characters makes me laugh and breaks my heart.  

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi  •  A brand new book.  A man goes from doctor to patient and explores what makes a meaningful life.  Life and cancer and other easy topics.  

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith  •  Let’s read a love story.  

A Movable Feast by Ernest Hemingway  •  Hemingway invites us to 1920’s Paris where we can be broke, beautiful, and in the best company.

I hope you find something cozy to read.  What’s on your reading list that I should know about?  

xo Joy

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Beyond the Kitchen

Previous Post: « Everybody’s Birthday Cake
Next Post: Let It Be Sunday! »

Reader Interactions

All Comments
I Made This
Questions
  1. Omar

    January 13, 2016 at 10:21 am

    Thank you! It’s always nice to get reading recommendations. I’m appalled at how few in my circle read fiction (good or otherwise). I don’t recall if it was on a prior list but, I just finished All The Light We Cannot See and absolutely loved it.

    Reply
  2. Meg

    January 12, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    Ooh, some good reads here Joy! Just read Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl (loved – 90s forev) and the Lauren Groff is next on my list.

    So pleased you have I Capture the Castle on your list – it is one of my most treasured. I remember staying up all night reading it when I was 18, a few days before I moved out of home to live in London. I drank endless cups of peach tea and ate a lot of toast with marmalade and had the Sundays (Reading,Writing and Arithmatic) playing over and over again in the background. I still think of that book and the tea and the feeling of imminent change every time I hear that album. And that has to be one of the best first lines ever: ‘I write this sitting the kitchen sink’…

    Reply
  3. genevieve y

    January 12, 2016 at 2:25 pm

    I read The First Bad Man and it was so weird but good! She just has a magical way of capturing and painting her characters. That is the only Miranda July book I have read, I am really interested in reading more of her books. Excited to check out all these other books!

    Reply
  4. 13bees

    January 12, 2016 at 6:49 am

    ps. I LOVE these threads and looking through everyone else’s responses. It generates my reading list for the next year or so :)

    Reply
  5. 13bees

    January 12, 2016 at 6:49 am

    God and Jetfire by Amy Seek. A memoir about adoption from the birth mother’s perspective. Gorgeously written!

    Reply
  6. Karen C

    January 11, 2016 at 12:47 pm

    I love winter reading!! “We are Water” is such a phenomenal book. Thanks for sharing this list with your readers. I recently read a fantastic crime fiction novel called “Uncontrolled Spin” by Jerry Summers {website link removed} The book is about a multimillionaire marketing expert, Sean Green, and his most recent client who is looking to put her apparel company on the map. During their “business” and “romantic” relationship Sean’s best friend is murdered and the twists and turns in the book don’t stop right up until the very end. This is the first book of the series and I am so excited to have found a book that not only keeps me hooked but offers more than just your typical murder mystery. I think Jerry Summers does a really good job at making it feel like a real romance and interlaces suspense and mystery in a really believable way. Hope you and your readers will check it out

    Reply
  7. Rachel

    January 11, 2016 at 8:08 am

    Please read “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara. It will totally break your heart (be cautious if you are sensitive to emotionally-challenging subject matter). But it’s so beautifully crafted. Definitely winter reading- good for cuddling up with a giant comforter, a cat, and some tea. Bonus is that it’s part of my New Year’s resolution to read more books by people who aren’t straight, white dudes.

    Reply
  8. Easy English Eating

    January 10, 2016 at 5:29 am

    Have added all of these to my growing pinterest board. I just read a review of When Breath Becomes Air and it sounds heartbreakingly beautiful.
    I am reading the sequel to the Dragon Tattoo books – The Girl in the Spiders Web – that is a gutsy thriller that helps the cold winter evenings to pass.

    Reply
  9. Angela

    January 10, 2016 at 2:45 am

    I am sold on laura Dave, but that may have been one of your recommendations. She updates the modern love story for the women who came of age ’90s and beyond.

    Reply
  10. Shona

    January 10, 2016 at 1:57 am

    A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson, the most beautiful book I read in 2015. Just won the Costa Prize. Deep sighs.

    Reply
  11. Michele

    January 9, 2016 at 10:43 pm

    The Painted Veil is a must.

    And, for a movie, I just saw Burn After Reading again, it’s so ridiculous and funny… I love it!

    Reply
  12. dessertfortwo

    January 9, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    You give the best book recs! I’m off to find these :)

    Reply
  13. Iris

    January 9, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    I’m in the middle of Erica Jong’s Fear of Dying and find myself laughing and crying almost at the same time! Started it last night and couldn’t put it down until my eyes started closing, which was about page 114. A great read!

    Reply
  14. Grace

    January 9, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    Have you read All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr? It’s a great holiday read but haunting and meaningful at the same time. I absolutely loved it.

    Reply
  15. Chelsea

    January 9, 2016 at 2:06 pm

    I charged (and cried, and blustered, and breathed) through All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr). Beautiful. Next in my stack is Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. Sounds amazing AND it comes in a pretty package!

    Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Beyond the Kitchen

An Update from Joy

Hi friends! Thanks for letting me pop into your Saturday. What are you up to this weekend? If I were to guess the goodness of your life, I’d say you’re putting an elf on a shelf, drying oranges slices into ornaments, and going for an epic no-budget Trader Joe’s run. Since I have a habit…

Read More

My 12 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

We want to make sure your holiday cookie tin is the best because you are the best. This is not a competition, but obviously, if we were to momentarily think of this as a competition –  you have to win. We’re giving you only the best 12 holiday cookie recipes ensuring instant victory at any…

Read More

Holiday Gift Guide 2022 from Team Joy the Baker

It’s that time of year, when the world falls in love! Every song you hear, seems to say, “Get me gift cards.”  But, while we may be last minute wrapper paper purchasers, we are not gift card givers.  At least… not yet.  We still have a few weeks to be our most thoughtful selves and…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

BREADS YOU’LL LOVE

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate

How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Orange roll on a plate with a fork.

Christmas Morning Orange Rolls

Baked pull apart garlic bread baked in a loaf pan.

Erin’s Roasted Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread

LET’S MAKE COOKIES!

Raspberry linzer cookie recipe stacked on baking sheet.

Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies layered on a cooling rack.

Eggnog Iced Oatmeal Cookies

My 12 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can 🙋‍♀️ if you buy bananas just so they can languish on the counter long enough to be baked. ⁣
⁣
These Almond Flour Banana Bread cookies are stacked with walnuts and chocolate and one of the best way I know how to celebrate a speckled banana. Find the recipe linked in the profile! xo #bananabread #glutenfreerecipes #joythebaker #cookies #bakingrecipes
Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple s Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple small-batch bagel recipe. Get in on this with me: ⁣
⁣
2 Easy No Yeast Bagels⁣
1/2 cup self-rising flour⁣
4 tablespoons greek yogurt (plus a teaspoon or two more if needed)
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash⁣
1/3 - 1/2 cup grated gouda or gruyere⁣
Everything bagel seasoning⁣
3 tablespoons baking soda with 2 cups of boiling water. ⁣
⁣
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper lightly with nonstick spray. ⁣
⁣
In a small bowl, use a firm spatula to work together the flour and yogurt. Add a few teaspoons of yogurt if it feels dry and knead into a cohesive ball for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with a bit more flour if it gets overly sticky. Cover with a damp paper towel and gather your toppings. ⁣
⁣
Divide dough in two and roll each piece into a roughly 8-inch rope. Bring the ends around and pinch into a circle. ⁣
⁣
Sprinkle the bottom of the prepared pan with grated cheese in two spots.  Pour boiling water over the baking soda and float each bagel in the water for 20 or so seconds.  Use a slotted spot or spatula to transfer the bagels on top of the cheese.  Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with more cheese and everything bagel seasoning. ⁣
⁣
Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and smearing with cream cheese.
Here to remind you that you can mix a few ingredie Here to remind you that you can mix a few ingredients together tonight and have a hot little loaf of bread in the morning. ⁣
⁣
This easy, nearly no-knead Rye Bread is essentially a magic trick. I’ll leave the recipe linked and big love to my friends @lecreuset for the most elite bread pot!
Cinnamon Rolls but make ‘em Mardi Gras. 💜💛 Cinnamon Rolls but make ‘em Mardi Gras. 💜💛💚⁣⁣
⁣⁣
For the rolls: ⁣⁣
• 3/4 cup lukewarm milk⁣⁣⁣
• 1 large egg⁣⁣⁣
• 1 large egg yolk⁣⁣⁣
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened⁣⁣⁣
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting⁣⁣⁣
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast⁣⁣⁣
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar⁣⁣⁣
• ¾ teaspoon salt⁣⁣⁣
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
For the filling:⁣⁣
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened⁣⁣⁣
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed⁣⁣⁣
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
For the icing:⁣⁣
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese⁣⁣⁣
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar or glazing sugar⁣⁣⁣
• 1 tablespoon milk⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
1. To make the dough, place all of the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low until the dough begins to come together. You may want to speed up the process by first mixing all of the ingredients together by hand with a spatula before putting the bowl on the stand mixer. This will help the dough hook work. The dough will come together into a soft, though not too sticky dough ball after several minutes of hand mixing and stand mixer mixing.⁣⁣⁣
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Let rise for 60 minutes while you prepare the filling and icing.⁣⁣⁣
3. To make the filling: Combine the butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon into a paste. Set aside.⁣⁣⁣
4. To make icing, whisk together cream cheese and sugar. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.  Place in a small bowl and refrigerate. ⁣⁣⁣
5. Roll the dough into a 18 x 12 inch rectangle.⁣⁣⁣
6. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough.⁣⁣⁣
7. Beginning with one long edge, roll the dough into a log. Cut the log into 8 or 10 equal slices. Place the slices in a greased 9×13-inch baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 30 minutes. ⁣⁣⁣
8. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.  Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, until they’re golden brown and bubbling. Remove the rolls from the oven.⁣⁣⁣
9.  Drizzle icing over the warm buns and enjoy! ⁣
I’ve taken these Little Banana Pancakes on as a I’ve taken these Little Banana Pancakes on as a personality trait. ⁣
⁣
Full recipe linked in the bio or just take the concept and a box of pancake mix and I’ll see you at the kitchen table. Xo
This recipe is an essential life skill. Not an und This recipe is an essential life skill. Not an understatement. Two Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe linked in the bio, babes. Xo 🍪
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up