Last week the ground was covered in a blanket of white.
This week, it’s 70+ degrees and my kids are “swimming” in the buffalo wallow. A tinge of green is appearing across the prairie that’s been brown for an eternity.
It’s coming.
I’m looking forward to sun, soil, and long evenings spent outside. Although… a part of me will miss the peaceful nights curled next to the fire with a good book. But I know that time will come again. To everything there is a season.
I received many requests for my favorite book recommendations this winter and I intended to put together a list. But I didn’t… So I guess it’s now or never. So I finally gathered up my most recent favorite books and put them together in this list.
If you find inspiration and new ideas in this list, make sure to check out my past book recommendations, too.
–> The Books I’m Reading Right Now (in 2021)
–>What I’m Reading This Winter (in 2020)
–> My Current Favorite Homesteading Books
I frequently update this list of My Favorite Books on My Shelf as well, if you want to see my favorite cookbooks, homesteading books, and thought-provoking books with links for easy purchasing.
My Favorite Books from the Past Few Months
The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
I’m convinced if Michael Pollan wrote a dishwasher repair manual, I’d love it. The man is a world class wordsmith. I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma over a decade ago and decided to revisit it this winter. If you eat food, then you need to read this book. It’s that good.
What Your Food Ate by David R. Montgomery and Ann Bikle
This one is in the vein of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, but with a bit more science and focus on farming practices. My highlighter got a work-out with this one. While I knew some of the general principles shared in the book (modern food is less nutrient dense, Round-Up is horrible for soil, etc), the authors did a brilliant job of explaining WHY. Watch for them to appear on my podcast in the coming months!
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
I listened to this one on my way to a basketball tournament. It’s simple enough to absorb via audiobook, but meaty enough that I later bought the paperback to highlight and dog ear. Excellent for entrepreneurs, business owners, or just humans looking to up-level their thinking. This will be a book I revisit each year.
Uprooted by Grace Olmstead
A beautiful commentary on loving and leaving a place. Grace is inspired by Wendell Berry and you can feel his essence throughout her writing (which I loved). A must-read for anyone wrestling with the idea of home, roots, and community.
Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss
Call me a nerd if you must, but I LOVE food history. Moss weaves a riveting narrative of not only the effects of salt, sugar, and fat on our tastebuds, but how marketers have wielded them as a weapon. I’ll never look at cereal the same way.
The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party by Daniel James Brown
I listened to this one over Christmas break and I still think about it. It’s the historical account of the infamous Donner Party, but it’s told in a way that brings their humanity to light. Even if you aren’t into history, you’ll enjoy this one. Every human needs to read this book. I discuss this book and how it connects to current times more in this Prairie Philosophy article ‘Just Like Us’.
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
I’ve never read a nonfiction historical account that had me crying and yelling at the same time. Not only is this a riveting account of the tragedy of the dust bowl, it’s an important commentary on what happens when our human arrogance supersedes the order of nature. Every human needs to read this book.
Final Thoughts & Book Suggestions
I love spending winter reading good books while cozy near the wood stove. There have been so many good books that have shaped me, inspired me, and helped me shift my perspective about things in all the best of ways.
What are you reading this year? What books have been instrumental in helping you improve your life and career? Drop me a comment and share what you’re excited to read in the coming months. I’m always looking for new suggestions.
You can find my big all-time fav book list here. (I love Bookshop.org since it supports Indie bookstores.)
Reading all the things,
-Jill
(P.S.) My NEW book Old-Fashioned on Purpose: Cultivating a Slower, More Joyful Life comes out this fall! If you’re looking for a thought-provoking book about the importance of old-fashioned actions in our modern world, you’ll love my new book! Learn more about my book Old-Fashioned on Purpose (and also how to get Preorder bonuses!) here.
Kristy says
Hi Jill… I’m wondering if I can modify your Apple Scrap Vinegar recipe and use rhubarb instead? What do you reckon? I’m overrun with rhubarb!
Cris - Prairie Homestead Team says
If you want to make vinegar with rhubarb, I suggest searching for a rhubarb vinegar recipe online (and then you can compare/contrast those instructions with these). Rhubarb and apples are very different fruits, so it’s hard to say if it can be done with these instructions.