Picture it: a dozen people gathered in a cozy living room, candles flickering on the window sill, a table spread with cheese, nuts, and sweets, mulled wine warming on the stove as the scent of cinnamon and cloves wafts around the room, and at the center of it all, piles of books ready to be traded. A friend of mine often hosts this kind of book exchange during the cold season, welcoming friends into her home to share what we've read throughout the year. New books, old books, books we loved, books that baffled us--they all get passed around, discussed, evaluated, and eventually snapped up by the person most intrigued by the pitch. Get togethers like this are such a cheerful way to ward off the dark gloom of winter solstice and reinvigorate a sense of community around the fairly solitary act of reading.