Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.
Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.
When the new year rolls around, so do the dozens of self-help and personal improvement book recommendations. I have to admit, I often struggle to connect with these sorts of books. But every so often, I come across a book that encourages a slower pace, a way of moving through the world that inspires quiet contemplation. So today, let’s jump in and chat about a few of these must-read titles.
The Way Through the Woods: Of Mushrooms and Mourning by Long Litt Woon, Translated by Barbara J. Haveland
For so many of us, grief was a huge part of our experience of 2025. In one way or another, we’ve had to grieve what has been lost. The Way Through the Woods is a beautiful example of the grief memoir. Woon moved to Norway from Malaysia, and she and her Norwegian husband spent many happy years together, creating a beautiful life. But when her husband died, she didn’t know how she was going to live without him. But somehow, she falls into mushroom foraging, discovering a whole new way to enjoy her home by exploring its forests. And in Norway, they take their foraging very seriously. So Woon begins to study for the exam that will solidify her as an official mushroom forager. It’s such a beautiful book about mourning and nature writing.
All access members continue below for more quietly contemplative books.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
With burnout on the rise, everyone and their mother’s brother claims to have the answer to never having to go through the experience in the first place. Talk about unhelpful. What’s worse, some articles claim that experiencing burnout is some sort of moral failing. Just, ew. If you’re experiencing burnout—especially if you’re experiencing autistic burnout—Wintering is for you. Wintering is more relevant than ever. In May’s modern classic, Wintering, she delves into the importance of wintering, the practice of resting and retreating in order to recharge. She emphasizes that we can’t all be working and producing 24/7 for years on end. We all need rest, and that’s just part of the seasons of our lives.
The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad
As a planner girlie, I love starting a new journal every year and delving into a new routine. That’s where The Book of Alchemy comes in. When Suleika Jaouad was first diagnosed with leukemia at age 22, she started to write in her journal every day for 100 days. This project changed her life, and she eventually turned it into a newsletter project that has thousands of subscribers. Now, to help readers go on their own 100-day writing challenge, Jaouad has created The Book of Alchemy. In it, 100 writers—like Melissa Febos, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jon Batiste, and Salman Rushdie—each share 100 prompts to help inspire writers to create a journal in whatever way works for them.
The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl
There are few things I love more than watching the natural world around me. So it’s no surprise that I adore nature writing. One of America’s best nonfiction writers tells us the story of her backyard, all through the point of view of the creatures that live there. The Comfort of Crows follows a year in their lives. Each section follows a different season, and Renkl details the comings and goings that she sees around her property. Oftentimes, her short essays meander into ruminations on life and humanity’s role in nature.
You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
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