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Books to Curl Up With

At-Home Activities

September 09, 2021•4 min read

When most folks think about heading to Action City or Chaos Water Park, they don’t often think about bringing a book—and with good reason; there’s too much fun stuff to do!

But if you’re staying in one of our gorgeous Metropolis suites with a fireplace, you may want to pack your favorite page turner for after the kids (and maybe even your spouse) have fallen asleep.

There’s nothing like some classic fiction to help get you mellowed out and ready for a great night’s sleep so you’re ready to tackle more games, slides, and rides the next day!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip, and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

Jay Gatsby is the man who has everything, but one thing will always be out of his reach... everybody who is anybody is seen at his glittering parties. Day and night his Long Island mansion buzzes with young men and women drinking, dancing, and debating his mysterious character. Gatsby—young, handsome, and fabulously rich—always seems alone in the crowd, watching and waiting, though no one knows what for. Beneath the shimmering surface of his life lies a secret: a silent longing that can never be fulfilled. Soon this destructive obsession will force his world to unravel.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed and subject to the cruel regime of Lowood Charity School, Jane Eyre emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield Hall, falls in love with one Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage. Jane Eyre transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than one traditionally accorded to her gender in Victorian society.

Hard Times by Charles Dickens (1854)

The children at Mr Gradgrind's school are sternly ordered to stifle their imaginations and pay attention only to cold, hard reality. They live in a smoky, troubled industrial town, where entertainment is hard to come by and resentments run deep. The effects of Gradgrind's teaching on his own children, Tom and Louisa, are particularly profound and leave them ill-equipped to deal with the unpredictable desires of the human heart. Luckily for them they have a friend in Sissy Jupe, the child of a circus clown, who retains her warm-hearted, compassionate nature despite the pressures around her.

The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969)

The NYPD and ruthless New York crime lords smell blood in the water. If the Corleone family is to survive, it needs a ruthless new don, but the price of success in a violent life may be too high to bear. No man can stay on top forever—not when he has enemies on both sides of the law. As the ageing Vito Corleone nears the end of a long life of crime, his sons must step up to manage the family business. Sonny Corleone is an old hand, while World War II veteran Michael Corleone is unused to the world of crime and reluctant to plunge into the business.

What’s your favorite novel that you can’t get enough of? Let us know and we just might add it to the list.

If you'd rather watch than read, or want to enjoy one of these timeless classics in the company of others, check out the film adaptations listed below.

Pride and Prejudice, directed by Simon Langton (1995 mini-series)