Praying for rain

I used to have a Japanese friend whose grandfather was a farmer on the northern island of Hokkaido. I once asked her if he liked being a farmer, and she said, memorably, “He always used to pray for rain so he could stay inside most of the day and read.” I identify with this venerable farmer grandfather. There is really nothing like being forced to curl up with a favorite book on a rainy day. It’s one of life’s great pleasures. Of course, there can be a little stress involved. Because, as with any good investment, you have to choose wisely. And for book lovers, there is always a tempting list of contenders vying for that precious reading time. My current short, short list includes: Something old (Great Expectations by Charles Dickens), something borrowed (whatever tell-all memoir my wife happens to be reading—most recently: Parched by Heather King), and something new (Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline) for the perfect marriage of fun and escape when it’s all wet outside. What are your rainy-day faves?

—Tom