Reading through Boston 📚

The BOStoday Boston reading list

Bookshelves and book piles inside Brookline Booksmith store

We’re feeling lucky to live in such a literary city. | Photo by BOStoday team

City Editor Sara here. 👋 If you’re a bookworm like me, you’ve probably checked out the New York Times’ recent “Read Your Way Through Boston” piece and corresponding reading list.

While many of the classics were featured — including “Walden” and “Moby-Dick” — I couldn’t help but notice that some of my favorite contemporary stories set in and around Boston didn’t make the cut.

So, head to your favorite cozy corner and dive into another Boston reading list: this time, BOStoday style.

📚 “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin

The plot of this 2022 Fiction Goodreads Choice Award Winner begins when the two main characters, who study at Harvard and MIT, run into each other inside the Harvard T Station. Pick this one up for the local Cambridge scenery, stay for the compelling relationship.

📚 “Writers & Lovers” by Lily King

This book, a must-read for local writers, follows aspiring novelist Casey Peabody as she rents a small living space in Brookline and works through the grief of losing her mother. At the same time, she waits tables in Cambridge and works on her novel.

📚 “The Woman in the Library” by Sulari Gentill

In the mood for a meta literary mystery? This 2022 fiction release takes place at various Boston landmarks, beginning at the iconic reading room of the Boston Public Library in Copley Square.

📚 “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri

Perfect for those who love intergenerational family stories, the Boston University graduate’s first novel explores the immigrant experience. The story’s protagonist, Gogol, is raised by an arranged Bengali couple after they move to Cambridge.

📚 “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood

This 1985 dystopian novel is set in the Boston area, which the author says is because of New England’s puritanical history. The story, often considered a modern classic, takes place in the fictional Republic of Gilead in the midst of a totalitarian society that treats women as property.

Turn the page for the next chapter: 20+ more books by authors with local ties.

What should we add to the list?

Help us stock our to-be-read pile.

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Wednesday, Jan. 25

Trivia in the Main Bar | Wednesday, Jan. 25 | 7-10 p.m. | PKL, 64 C St., Boston | Free | Play general trivia with a guess-that-tune and visual round for the chance to win a $25 or $50 gift card.
Lunar New Year with Cantonese-Style Feast | Wednesday, Jan. 25 | Times vary | Red 8, 1 Broadway, Everett | $148 | Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with this Cantonese-style prix fixe dinner.

Thursday, Jan. 26

Hike Boston: Olmsted Park | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 10-11 a.m. | Olmsted Park, 217 Jamaicaway, Boston | Free | Meet at the Daisy Field Lot in Jamaica Plain for this social hiking group event.
Canon, Canyon, Cannon: Poetry Reading | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 25 Evans Way, Boston | $0-$20 | Join Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola as she gathers leading local artists for an evening of poetry and recitation.
Life is a Cabernet | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 8 p.m. | Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Sq., Somerville | $25 | Catch this one-night-only performance of Celia Smokinbutts and Patty Bourree’s smash hit musical review.

Friday, Jan. 27

LGBTQ+ Job Fair | Friday, Jan. 27 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Boston Park Plaza Hotel, 50 Park Plaza, Boston | Free | Join the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce at this local job fair.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

34º | Snow | 70% chance of rain
It’s time to mentally prepare for more snow. Find the National Weather Service’s snowfall map for this evening through Thursday — Boston is expected to see another inch or two of snow accumulation. ❄️

Biz

LEGO plans to move its North American headquarters to our city by 2026. Currently based in Connecticut, the toymaker is expected to add hundreds of Bay State jobs. Curious where exactly the office will be located? Be on the lookout for the official announcement around the end of September. (Boston Globe)

Award

Let’s give a big round of applause to Jennifer Coolidge, who has been named Hasty Pudding Theatrical’s 2023 Woman of the Year. The actress will lead a parade through Harvard Square + be honored at a celebratory roast on Saturday, Feb. 4. 🏆

Sports

Bill O’Brien is making his way back to Massachusetts as the new Patriots offensive coordinator. The Dorchester native previously coached in New England from 2007 to 2011 + has spent the past two years as the offensive coordinator for the University of Alabama. 🏈 (Boston Globe)
The Red Sox will be welcoming a new player: Adalberto Mondesi. The infielder is heading to Boston after the team traded lefty Josh Taylor to the Kansas City Royals. ⚾

Film

Cambridge natives Ben Affleck + Matt Damon have announced the release date for their production company’s upcoming film “Air.” The movie about Michael Jordan and Nike’s partnership will come out in theaters on Wednesday, April 5. (Boston.com)

List

Attention local music lovers — USA Today 10Best featured 10 of the top music venues in New England. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boch Center, and Cambridge’s Club Passim all made the cut. Rock out with the full list. 🎵 (USA Today)

Featured

Here are some names you might recognize. The BOStoday City Editors were named local Massachusetts experts in a recent Redfin post. Check out the article for our team’s tips on free + fun things to do in Salem.

Eat

Don’t just eat better — eat the best. Sunbasket’s meal kit service delivers delicious, healthy meals created by award-winning chefs straight to your front door. Bonus: BOStoday readers can get $100 off their first four deliveries and more when they sign up. 🍽️ *

Wellness

If one of your 2023 goals is to create more time for self care and relaxation, an acupressure mat is a must. The mats are designed to stimulate pressure points to relieve tension, decrease stress levels, and increase circulation. This ProsourceFit full body mat includes neck support.*

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Winter has come ❄️

Aerial view of snowy Boston with Bunker Hill Monument in the forefront

Sometimes you have to romanticize Boston in the winter. | Photo by @camakmedia

Now that some long-awaited flurries are touching down in Boston, we have two requests for our readers that would really warm our hearts.

1. Share your photos of Boston in all its wintry glory with us. The best way to do this is by using our hashtag, #BOStoday, when posting your snaps on social media.

2. Clue us in on your best tips + tricks for surviving Boston winters. Do you have a go-to space saver, a favorite place to grab snacks and supplies, or any other words of wisdom for getting through a snow emergency? Share your advice at the link below, and your response could be featured in an upcoming newsletter.

LET US SNOW

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Sara.

Editor’s pick: This year’s Oscar nominations are here, and it’s no surprise that “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is up for best picture. 🎥

The film, which was directed by Emerson College graduates, is a must-see. I won’t spoil it, but Ke Huy Quan delivers one of the most heartwarming, romantic lines of dialogue I’ve ever heard. Okay, minor spoiler: it has to do with laundry and taxes.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We broke down what to know about sports betting in the Bay State.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Jessica Burton, Sara Frazier, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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