It is a truth universally acknowledged that anyone weary of endless scrolling may find far greater delight in a modest volume — even if it’s on a Kindle — than in any glowing device designed to distract. From Jane Austen’s drawing rooms to Mary Oliver’s meadows, readers find peace in words that see them, hold them, and — most wonderfully — ignore their phones. Whether in Murakami’s silent cafés or beneath Tolstoy’s snowdrifts, the ultimate accomplishment remains: turning pages into peace.
For many, a cosy read is less about genre and more about feeling. Sharon Pothigai, a corporate lawyer, calls it a reaffirmation of life’s beauty. Architect Subhiksha Thiagarajan links it to nostalgia, now tinged with an appreciation for melancholy. Varshini, a creative strategist, finds comfort in books that make her feel “held and seen” — even those as quietly unsettling as Murakami’s. “For me, a cosy read is literature rooted in my homeland — Andhra, in Telugu. While I mostly read translations, I’m drawn to short stories that feel domestic and lighthearted, yet offer fresh insights about where I come from,” shares K Samuel Moses Srinivas, an assistant professor.
For Salmaa Gafoor, a business professional, it is a retreat into familiar worlds: Jane Austen’s wit or JK Rowling’s magic (barring the queerphobia). Sam, a social scientist, sees it as any book that rekindles their love for reading — light or heavy.
The evolution
While some readers’ tastes have evolved, others’ have remained constant. Writer Usha Jesudasan says she’s shifted from seeking comfort in romance to craving books that inspire action. Rohith, a doctor, once preferred slow, restful prose but now turns to works that illuminate life’s confusions. An anonymous poet and doctor reflects on how their idea of a cosy read has evolved over time: “I’ve shifted from conventional reads like the Dalai Lama, Khalil Gibran, and Jonathan Livingston Seagull, to voices like Rumi, Paulo Freire, Maya Angelou, and bell hooks. It mirrors my journey into the political, the mystical, and the exploration of identity.” Yet for others like Sibi Maran, a business excellence professional, cosy reads remain constant. He has always returned to Russian novels like The First Teacher.
In a world demanding constant engagement, a cosy read offers rare respite — a return to slowness and presence. Whether it’s the joy of revisiting an old favourite or the thrill of discovering a new voice, these books remind us of reading’s quiet power. As Varshini puts it: “The point is to return.”
Masters of cosiness
When asked who writes the cosiest reads, responses varied:
Mary Oliver (Sharon): Soul-soothing poetry
Jane Austen (Salmaa): Wit and warmth
Gabriel García Márquez (Varshini, Rohith): Lyrical storytelling
Na Muthukumar (Subhiksha): Heartfelt Tamil columns
Agatha Christie & PG Wodehouse (Mignonne): Comforting worlds
It's story time
Each reader crafts their own ritual — some curl up under warm lamplight, others burrow into beds, or steal quiet moments between tasks. The rituals are as personal as the books themselves.
Sharon Pothigai: Outdoors among wildflowers, in comfy home clothes
Sibi Maran: In his personal library, with black coffee
Subhiksha Thiagarajan: In bed, pencil in hand and a coffee nearby
Varshini: Fresh coffee, underlined margins
Salmaa Gafoor: At her favourite café with an iced tea
Yadhu Krishnan: Bedside a lamp watching reels in between chapters
Usha Jesudasan: Pencil/highlighter ready for inspiration
Mini Pant Zachariah: Pillowed bed and a cup of tea
K Samuel Moses Srinivas: Campus walks or while invigilating, always with coffee
Rohith: With his phone turned off, sitting in a quiet corner
SP Praveen Raj: Beanbag or sofa with snacks at arm’s reach
Sam: Marathon “binge-reading” sessions
Anonymous: Daily “Poem-a-Day” feed on Instagram
Mignonne Dsouza: No fixed ritual — “You have to snatch time for reading”
The book list
Each book here offers a pocket of warmth — some gentle, others grounding, but all deeply immersive.
Epistolary & Memoir
84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff
The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony
Classics & Literary Fiction
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Works by Oscar Wilde
Contemporary & Global Fiction
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Sumithra by Kalpatta Narayanan (trans. K.V. Shylaja)
Mann Kattiyai Kaatru Adithu Pogadhu by Fazu Aliyeva
Fantasy & Magical Realism
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab
Historical Fiction & Dark Academia
The First Teacher by Chinghiz Aitmatov
Fortitude by Vera Ketlinskaya
Man-Eaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Babel, or the Necessity of Violence by RF Kuang
Poetry, Essays & Creative Non-fiction
Collected Aphorisms by Eduardo Galeano
A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
Daily Meditations by Richard Rohr
Emergence Magazine Multiform stories exploring ecology and culture.
Poem-a-Day by A daily dose of diverse poetry (Poets.org).
Dog Songs by Mary Oliver
Anilaadum Mundril Na Muthukumar
And Our Faces, My Heart, Brief as Photos by John Berger
Bala Kandam by Na Muthukumar
Short Stories & Novellas
The Greatest Telugu Stories Ever Told from Aleph
The Truant by Dada Hayat
Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez
Mystery & Humour
At Bertram’s Hotel, 4.50 from Paddington, The Hollow by Agatha Christie
Jeeves & Wooster stories by P.G. Wodehouse
Drama
Arcadia by Tom Stoppard
Manga, Webtoons & Comics
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
Nan Hao & Shang Feng
One Piece
Tamen De Gushi
Komi Can’t Communicate
Vagabond, Vinland Saga, Berserk