Regardless of your choice of ski destination, off-piste entertainment can be just as important as your adventures on the slopes. While there can be wonderful bars and restaurants to enjoy at your resort, a little bit of personal time can feel just as rewarding. And, of course, it’s always recommended to pack a good book among your ski equipment.
There are many snow and winter-themed entertainment options, ranging from winter-themed movies on Netflix to Christmas-themed games at McLuck online. Yet, sometimes nothing beats curling up with a book by the fire while the snow falls outside. Check out some of these wintry classics that span multiple genres:
The Shining – Stephen King
Starting with one of the most famous horror novels ever written, the ice-bound world outside the Overlook Hotel acts as a prison for those locked inside. Some argue that the Stanley Kubrick movie outshines the book, but King’s work elicits a feeling of claustrophobia more so than the 1980 film.
The Left Hand of Darkness – Ursula Le Guin
Le Guin’s 1969 novel was immensely popular at the time, establishing the author as one of the masters of sci-fi. Yet, it is perhaps somewhat overlooked as a classic today. The plot mainly takes place as a trek across a frozen world, one where the promise of spring always seems just out of reach.
Mystery in White – J Jefferson Farjeon
A train gets stopped during heavy snowfall on Christmas Eve, prompting some passengers to explore a nearby village and stumble upon a house where dinner is served, but nobody is home. A classic murder mystery where the brooding winter takes on main character status.
Touching the Void – Joe Simpson
One of the most remarkable true stories of survival against the odds, the tale of author Joe Simpson and Simon Yates’ survival in the Andes is both a cautionary fable and an inspiring adventure. The book was also turned into an underrated movie doc of the same name, even making a list of top documentaries that should have been Oscar-nominated.
The Snowy Day – Ezra Jack Keats
A picture book, ostensibly aimed at children, but so gorgeous in its presentation that it will undoubtedly appeal to readers of all ages. The tale of Peter’s experience of the season’s first snowfall is timeless. The Snowy Day won numerous major children’s book awards. A classic.
The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey
Derived from a Russian folktale but set in Alaska, The Snow Child is an enchanting story of how a couple’s lives are changed when they encounter a little girl seemingly made from snow. The Snow Child was nominated for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. A beautiful fairytale.
Doctor Zhivago — Boris Pasternak
An all-time classic, Doctor Zhivago deals with love and societal upheaval during the long Russian winter. While it’s not free of criticism – Pasternak was viewed as a better poet than novelist – it is one of the most important Russian works of the mid-20th century.
Snow Falling on Cedars – David Guterson
Let’s finish with a book that has been in and out of banned lists in schools across North America. It is a complex work, dealing with a murder case set on a fictional island just off the coast of Washington state. The plot is set against the backdrop of a snowstorm, forcing the population to look inwards as they are gripped by the trial.