The Books Helping Us Escape Right Now

There may be no better time than winter to cozy up, ideally by a fire, with a stack of books and a cup of coffee (or something a little stronger). This particular winter, though, the escape and education we find through books will be even more necessary. Whether you're picking up books for yourself or sending hefty hardcovers to family and friends as holiday gifts, we have some suggestions that will distract, entertain, and inform—all by female writers spread across the world. (Translated Japanese authors were surprisingly popular this episode.) Joining us to share their favorite recent reads are Riverhead Books' associate publisher Jynne Dilling-Martin and Kalima DeSuze, activist and founder of the Cafe con Libros bookstore in Brooklyn.  Here's a full list of what we talked about: Oreo, by Fran Ross Lobizona, by Romina Garber The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin The Memory Police, by Yoko Ogawa Convenience Store Woman, by Suyaka Murata Tokyo Ueno Station, by Yu Miri The Custom of the Country, by Edith Wharton The Lying Life of Adults, by Elena Ferrante The Neapolitan Novels, by Elena Ferrante The Japanese Table, by Sofia Hellsten Luster, by Raven Leilani Hurricane Season, by Fernanda Melchor Read a transcription of the episode here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-books-helping-us-escape-right-now-women-who-travel-podcast Follow Kalima's Cafe con Libros: @cafeconlibros_bk Follow Jynne: @jynnnne Follow Lale: @lalehannah Follow Meredith: @ohheytheremere All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.