Books of the season for home, heart and health

For holiday gifts or a quiet Saturday morning while the snow falls, this list will get you ready for winter and beyond. For your heart, your home or your health, there’s plenty here to usher in a new season.  

For your heart  

“The Girl from the Red Rose Motel” by Susan Beckham Zurenda (Mercer University Press) 

Go ahead and block off a weekend for this one because you will not want to put it down. It’s fiction, yes, but the people are made real in the hands of Zurenda. The story is moving and layered – teen characters get nuance here that books for adults often overlook. That’s what happens when the author, who lives in Spartanburg, has the experience of more than 30 years teaching English to college and high school students. This lovely story is a treasure that left me wanting to know what’s next.  

For your home

“Home – A Journal” by The Khalighis (Wellfleet Press)  

You create this story, just as you create memories in your home. Collect the details of buying your house, the projects that fill your days and your plans and dreams for how the space will evolve as you do. This is a perfect housewarming gift and the start of a family heirloom.  

“Shut the Front Door” by Chelsey Brown (Gibbs Smith)  

This gorgeous book is loaded with practical tips to brighten your home and create clean, inviting spaces – and do it without blowing the budget. It’s a terrific look book for ideas, too.  

“Magnolia’s Classic Southern Cuisine: Collected Recipes from the Heart of Charleston” by Don Drake (Gibbs Smith) 

Spiced pecans? Biscuits? Gravy? Whatever rich, classic recipe you want, it’s probably in this detailed and beautifully photographed book, featuring food that is almost too pretty to eat. (Almost.) 

For your health

“How Not to Age” by Michael Greger, M.D. (Flat Iron Books, available in December)  

Forget the fads and gimmicks. Greger, whose “How Not to Die” is a staple of lifestyle medicine, has created another evidence-based guide for health. This time, the focus is on aging well and actually getting healthier while getting older. Rich in detail and backed by a truckload of studies, this book empowers readers to take charge of their years ahead.