8 Books To Stimulate Your Mind During Winter Break
8 Books To Stimulate Your Mind During Winter Break
By Sophie Smith — December 18, 2024
With the first semester of the academic year behind us, it may seem like a great relief to rest your mind and indulge in doing nothing. Here is a list of eight books to read to maintain your brain’s neural activity.
Article cover image from Dupe Photos.
For most universities, winter break lasts a little over three weeks. Your brain is a muscle, so though it can seem appealing to doomscroll on social media and binge television shows during this break, remain consistent in exercising and stimulating your cognitive faculties.
1. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The subtitle of this book is “A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity”, however, in the introduction, Cameron emphasizes that no matter what religion you do or do not believe in, you can interpret this book for whatever entity or force you feel connected to. Also, note that spirituality is not religion: spirituality is the quality of being connected with the human soul instead of material and physical things. The main focus of this book is to help you recover your creative self by completing activities such as morning pages. Many celebrities including Bella Hadid have discussed how the book has benefited their life and connection with their inner artist. The winter off-season is a perfect time to reconnect with yourself, and The Artist’s Way is highly acclaimed for accomplishing that.
2. Go to Hell Ole Miss by Jeff Barry
This book is new to the public as of May 2024. The historical fiction novel is set in Mississippi following the main character Big John who boasts that he knows more Shakespeare than anyone in Hope Springs, Mississippi: “The prince of darkness is a gentleman”. The climax of the story is that the seven Shakespearean words Big John knows make him stop at nothing when he discovers the Southern gentleman he pressured his daughter to marry is abusive. This book is not directly connected to the University of Mississippi, but as many of our readers are Oxford residents, reading this book will indulge your Mississippi pride.
3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
This book was first published in 1963 under an alias but later published under Plath’s real name. This classic novel has been praised for many years and has recently regained popularity with younger generations. An iconic quote from The Bell Jar is the fig tree metaphor, symbolizing the various paths of life that one can pick. This story follows Esther Greenwood, a gifted college student and aspiring writer, and her struggle with societal expectations of women, her identity, and her mental health. This novel dives into somber emotions, as does much of Plath’s work, but it embarks on relatable thoughts and feelings that navigating womanhood entails.
4. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Another classic that many people read during their high school years, this book is often referred to as the male version of The Bell Jar. These books share the themes of introspection and mental illness displayed by their protagonists. Catcher in the Rye’s main character, Holden Caulfield, begins narrating the book by telling the reader that he is undergoing treatment in a sanitarium. He then backtracks to the span of a few days after his fall school term and before Christmas, revealing his disillusionment with adulthood, his depression, and everything in between that resulted in his hospitalization. These books may seem heavy for a season intended for joy, but reading these works back-to-back will add a sense of humanness, perspective, and hopefully, a warming feeling that you are not the only person who has struggled with confusing emotions.
5. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
On a somewhat lighter note Sally Rooney, the author of bestseller Normal People turned TV series, released her fourth book. The novel begins with the main characters Ivan and Peter grieving the death of their father. The brothers, 12 years apart, have opposing temperaments and complex love lives. Ivan, the youngest at age 22, is a semi-professional chess player, and Peter works as a human rights lawyer while being a stereotypical condescending, self-righteous big brother. The loss of their father influences the brothers' romantic relationships. The chapters of the book switch between the narratives of the brothers resembling their personalities: Ivan’s narration uses plain language that is easily readable. In contrast, Peter’s narrations are choppy and detached streams of consciousness. Critics say that this book reminded them that love makes life worthwhile, so it would be a heartwarming story to read by the fire, on a plane, or wherever life takes you this holiday season.
6. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Killers of the Flower Moon tells the true story of the Osage Reign of Terror from 1921 to 1926. Members of the Osage tribe gained massive wealth by retaining rights to the oil located under their reserve, which infuriated white Americans. This greed and anger resulted in white Americans getting the government to deem the natives as incompetent and unable to handle their finances. The Osage were driven out of their homes and a lot of blood was shed. The second part of the book focuses on federal investigators who arrive in Osage County to look into the string of murders of the Osage people. The third part of the book flashes forward and describes research found between 2012 and 2015 of the FBI failing the Osage by not delivering justice for the murders of their people. The Osage Reign of Terror is not taught in schools and is wildly swept under the rug because of the FBI’s failure. During this season of being near the ones you love most, consider reading this non-fiction story and remembering the Osage. The book was turned into a movie in 2023 starring Leonardo Decaprio and Lily Gladstone, who holds the title of the first Indigenous person to win a Golden Globe.
7. Modern Poetry by Diane Seuss
Seuss’s Modern Poetry is a collection of poems that explores the nature of poetry, the meaning of poems, and the roles of poets. Several of her poems are titled after literary devices like “Ballad” and “Comma”. These poems then explore and demonstrate how each device functions. Suess exemplifies these functions by writing a poem about her life using the device the poem is titled. It is a mixture of brushing up on your writing skills while reading poetry about the author’s experiences. Reading poetry increases your vocabulary and ability to understand yourself and the world around you. If reading a whole book seems daunting, opt for a poetry book over break.
8. This is Not Fashion: Streetwear Past, Present, and Future by King ADZ and Wilma Stone
This fashion story begins in 1972 at the first streetwear store, Trash and Vaudeville. Per each section, the book deep dives into subculture fashion styles: punk, hip-hop, rave, and more. This book explains the origins of many wardrobe essentials like bomber jackets, cargo pants, and baseball caps. For college students, at least one article of clothing worn each day is categorized as streetwear. Broadening your knowledge of the origins and influence of these beloved fashion items will create a newfound appreciation for the item, and all the different subgroups of style will create outfit inspiration. Up your wardrobe this holiday season by reading about things you already wear and things you have never incorporated into your wardrobe.
Whatever your choice of reading to stimulate your mind this winter break, we encourage you to read! The break is a perfect time to explore your interests as opposed to required course readings. Keeping your mind engaged throughout this holiday season will make it easier for you to dive into the next semester. Happy reading and Happy Holidays from Square Magazine!
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