Each season inspires in its own unique way, but there’s something special about fall. The air cools down to a crispness, making us want to wrap up in a cozy sweater and sip on something warm. Certain classic books have this cozy, crisp quality about them, pairing well with the weather. Some of these books warm me up, some remind me to enjoy the natural splendor of the season, some are a little spooky for Halloween. Here are the books I find myself revisiting each autumn:
The Fellowship of the Ring, By J.R.R. Tolkien
There’s just something about Tolkien in the fall. His words warm me up as the temperature drops. I love sipping some warm tea while following Frodo, Sam and the Fellowship on their journey.
Walden, by Henry David Thoreau
As the leaves change and autumnal foliage covers the ground, Henry David Thoreau can inspire us to admire these natural changes. While Walden takes place across all seasons as Thoreau recounts his experience living by Walden Pond for two years, it just feels right to read his classic during the fall, thinking about him admiring the birds and trees, tending to his bean field and building his chimney.
Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville
I first read Melville’s classic while visiting Toronto during a cool week in September. I stayed on the lakefront and sat out on a balcony wrapped in a blanket each morning as I picked my way through this text. I’ll always associate Moby-Dick with that brisk autumn air.
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë
I feel like Jane Eyre’s favorite season would be fall. Autumn represents her spirit as well as the unexpected changes that take place throughout Jane’s life. The book itself, gothic and shadowy in subject, parallels with shorter days and longer nights.
The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde
Another gothic classic, Wilde’s macabre tale is a great one to revisit during Halloween. Also, this book represents decay and change, which is appropriate as we shed the bright, blooming summer months.
Do you have a favorite classic read for fall? Share it in the comments!
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Neptune Your Dial 
Ah, Jane Eyre does sound like a perfect book for fall! I had never really thought of that, but it makes a lot of sense. And Tolkien has a fallish quality as well. Wuthering Heights might also be a good fall book, though perhaps that one should be saved for the depths of winter. 🙂
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I was thinking of Wuthering Heights as well. Most of the Bronte sisters’ novels would probably make good fall reads (or the depths of winter).
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Yes, I was thinking the same thing. They all have that bleak, windswept moor thing going on a little bit. 😉
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[…] While autumn technically began over a week ago, Atlanta has not received the memo. Temperatures have only just dipped to the low 80s, despite every fiber of my being willing the heat to subside and the cool, crisp fall air to greet me. Still, I’m in full fall-mode, becoming one of those people who sets up Halloween decorations in September. If you’re in fall-mode too, check my recent list of Five Classic Reads for Fall. […]
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