As the weather starts to warm up we are all shaking off the blankets of winter and getting ready to emerge in the sunshine. Perhaps it is a spring picnic or a lie in the hammock that calls for a book. Or, on a drive into the country to see all the trees as they burst forth in happy spring time bloom. Or, as it is here today, cloistering ourselves indoors once more as the spring rains bring nourishment to all the plants and animals blooming.
Choosing books to escape into spring with is not a daunting task. There are many classics perfect for this season. This list includes modern and ancient classics, to get you in the mood for spring.
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1. Aesop's Fables. Although this book is believed to have been written in the 7th Century BC, the lessons taught within these stories are still relevant today. Whether, you need to revise the lesson of looking before leaping (The Fox and the Goat), or for being prepared for leaner times (The Ants and the Grasshopper) there is something for everyone in these great, short fables.
2. Metamorphoses, Ovid. This is one of my all-time favourite classics and I would probably add it to every seasons reading list, but due to the nature of the themes of change, life and death and beginnings and endings, it seems appropriate to include at spring time. There are many stories within this tome, so if you're pressed for time, pick and choose a couple at a time. Take care, though, this book does contain graphic imagery.
3. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare. Young love in Verona cannot be ignored during spring time. Reading along as Romeo and Juliet meet, fall in love and deceive their families to be together is the sweetest experience as the first buds start to open.
4. Like Water for Chocolate (Como agua para chocolate), Laura Esquivel. A wonderful escape into the magical world of Tita De la Garza. Similar to Romeo and Juliet, Tita shares a forbidden love with Pedro, but instead of marrying him, she must watch him marry her sister. Tita retreats to the kitchen where she cooks up more than one magical meal, replete with love, jealousy and passion. An inspiring look at an all woman household in revolutionary Mexico, there is so much to take away from this book.
5. Chocolat, Joanne Harris. Perhaps it's the theme of chocolate, or spring, or new life, but here is another beautiful book that inspires great food, great relationships and great dreaming in rural France.
These are just my picks and my own opinions of what constitutes a classic. If you have any other spring time reading recommendations, I'd love to hear them in the comments.
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