“We’re a family of readers, and this is the time of year when we all hunker down with a stack of books. We’re reading wildly divergent books right now, but there’s overlap in our taste — our eldest daughter is reading a novel she bought for me, and I’ve got dibs on Karl’s book when he finishes. Here’s what’s on our bedside tables.” — The Hathaway/Schatz Family, Ten Apple Farm, Gray

Karl Schatz: I just finished “Project UnLonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection” by Jeremy Nobel, M.D., Master of Public Health, a personal and prescriptive examination of the epidemic of loneliness that’s impacting many in America today. The book demystifies and destigmatizes loneliness as a warning signal for our inherent need for human connection, and through his work at The Foundation for Art and Healing, offers a clear path back to connection through artistic practice and shared creativity. This book is an important and powerful read for anyone who has ever felt loneliness, or knows someone who is lonely.”

Margaret Hathaway: “I’m in the middle of what I call my “Annual Austening,” which I’ve done every winter since college. At at time of year when I crave comfort and familiarity, I reread all of Jane Austen’s novels, in succession. Right now, I’m with Eliza Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice,” whose flashes of wit and temper amid general restraint I admire every year. In the coming months, I’ll be heartbroken with Marianne Dashwood, ashamed with Emma Woodhouse, and, finally, vindicated with Anne Elliot. By the end of March, fortified by Austen, I’ll be ready for the year to come.”

Charlotte Schatz: I picked up Claire Keegan’s novel, “Small Things Like These” this winter, which was perfect for the book’s Christmas setting. I instantly fell in love with her writing style. Not only did ‘Small Things Like These’ give me all the feels (I cried more than once), but it also inspired a curiosity to learn more about the Ireland Keegan describes. I found myself enraged by the cruelty of the Magdalen laundries, and at the same time felt a sense of hope for humanity as I read about the protagonist, Bill Furlong, and his small, yet huge act of kindness. After I was swept away by Keegan’s novel, I wanted more, and lucky for me she has a new book, “So Late in the Day,” which I gave to my mom, but have now taken back.

Beatrice Schatz: Recently, I have been enjoying the speculative poetry journal Star*line. I just finished taking a poetry class and was introduced to sci-fi and alien poetry which I immediately got excited about! I often feel too busy to commit to a long book so little snippets of distant worlds and robots are perfect for me. Included in the Star*line journals are many different styles of poems, long and short. My favorites so far have been the poems centered around alien arrivals.

Sadie Schatz: The best book that I read recently was “The Inquisitor’s Tale,” by Adam Gidwitz. It’s about three children and a dog and their adventures in the Middle Ages, and it’s told by several different narrators. I like that there are two stories going on at the same time: the story of the children and the story of the traveler at the inn who is learning about the children. This book is so absorbing that it’s the kind of book you don’t want to ever end.

Mainers, please email to tell us about the book on your bedside table (or give us the lowdown on what the whole family is reading!). In a paragraph or two, describe the book and be sure to tell us what drew you to it. What makes it a can’t-miss read for the rest of us? We want to hear what you are reading and why. Send your selection to pgrodinsky@pressherald.com, and we may use it as a future Bedside Table.

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