By Laura Nawrot

There’s nothing like a cup of tea and a good book to warm the winter chill away.

An epic novel like “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell fits the bill for that. I don’t know many people who haven’t read this true classic of American literature, but for those who haven’t, now may be the time to pick it up. Images of the Old South during the Civil War come to life in the pages and voices of the unforgettable characters of Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler. Honestly, who has not associated the famous line, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn,” with the vision of Rhett fixing his hat to his head and crossing the threshold into the mist?Which brings up another bonus to reading this novel; a quality movie version to watch upon completion of the book! Ah, Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable…

If the 1,000+ pages of Mitchell’s classic is just too intimidating, (reading this book would probably get you through to spring), there’s always the shorter choice of light romantic fiction. Some “fluffy” authors that come to mind are Danielle Steel and Jude Deveraux.

“Someone to Love” by Jude Deveraux is something I read recently and her writing style and story line immediately brought Danielle Steel to mind. While reading books by these ladies definitely does not require the same amount of time as reading “Gone with the Wind,” they could bring just as much satisfaction if all you’re looking for is an afternoon or two of simple diversion from the snow.