7 Books That Take Place in Fall
Autumn calls for layers, pumpkin and spice flavored drinks and desserts, apple orchards, and pumpkin patches. After months of hot weather and the final dog days of summer, we happily embrace the change of leaves and the cooler weather the Fall Equinox ushers in on September 22. Another pastime we embrace with the new season is reading! There is something intrinsic about fall and reading; maybe it’s because of the start of a new school year for students, but they go hand-in-hand.
So as you cozy up under warm blankets and bunker down in your homes during this gorgeous time of year, grab a fall-themed book to help usher in the season.
1. “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt
Meet Richard Papen, a transfer student from California who is beginning his studies at Hampden College in New England. The storyline follows Papen as he joins an elite group of peers (who are truly misfits more than anything) and the eccentric series of events that leads to the murder of their friend, Edmund “Bunny” Corcoran. The author weaves together a plot full of twists and turns and shows how obsession, corruption, and betrayal can lead to the ultimate evil.
2. “The Thirteenth Tale” by Diane Setterfield
Ageing novelist Vida Winter is near her deathbed and ready to unearth the secrets about her extraordinary existence as well as the pain and tragedy of her past. She hires a young biographer named Margaret Lea to help write her story. Together, they confront the ghosts of both their pasts and in the process discover some powerful truths.
3. “Possession” by A.S. Byatt
Published in 1990, A.S. Byatt’s novel “Possession” is a timeless story that attempts to extract the truth about the relationship between two Victorian poets, Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. Both a mystery and a romance novel, the storyline follows two young scholars as they research the lives and love story of these 19th century poets. As they sift through their letters, journals, poems, and travel diaries, readers gain insight into the nature of writers and literature.
4. “The Simplicity of Cider” by Amy Reichert
Amy Reichert, author of “The Coincidence of Coconut Cake and Luck” and “Love & Lemon Pie” brings readers another charming love story. The tale follows fifth-generation, Wisconsin-based cider maker, Sanna Lund. After Sanna’s father is injured in an accident, Sanna is in desperate need of a helping hand to save the family business. Just in time, fate brings adventure-seeking Isaac Banks and his son, Sebastian, to her doorstep. Sanna’s simple life on her family’s apple orchard quickly becomes complicated, but she isn’t completely opposed to the change.
5. “The Cider House Rules” by John Irving
Originally published in 1985, “The Cider House Rules” takes place in rural Maine in the early 19th century. It tells the story of Dr. Wilbur Larch, an obstetrician and the founder of St. Cloud’s orphanage, and Homer Wells, a beloved orphan who is never adopted. Homer goes from orphan to medical assistant to obstetrician and becomes the son that Dr. Larch never had nor knew he wanted.
6. “Autumn” by Ali Smith
The first edition in Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet, “Autumn” tells the story of two old friends as they reminisce and dream of the future while they are confronted with a present-day, divided United Kingdom. Smith explores themes of harvest and the richness of the season as she takes a light-footed approach to history.
7. “Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europe” by Kapka Kassabova
If you are looking to whet your appetite for travel, Kapka Kassabova’s novel will satisfy your desire to explore. The narrative tale is written in a style similar to a reporter as Kapka returns to Bulgaria, which is where she emigrated 25 years prior. This time she is there to explore the shared border with Turkey and Greece, a place that has been drastically shaped by war.
What books are on your “must read list” for the fall? Share them with us @meetcopper so we can continue to share them with our Copper Community.
Photo by Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash
