Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Solstice, Christmas, Kwanza, or something else entirely, this time of year is full of traditions. Pull up a chair to your favorite flickering candle or twinkling lights and add reading to your holiday activity roster. Start with the featured authors’ books below and check out some of their own favorite winter holiday memories.
Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America
By Will Bardenwerper
Doubleday, 2025, hardcover, $30.00
The city of Batavia might not be considered a Western New York hot spot, but there’s one thing it has each summer: the Muckdogs. Formerly a semi-pro team, the Batavia Muckdogs is now a collegiate summer baseball team that proves the minor leagues can make—and keep—fans. And between MLB business decisions and tight finances, keeping the Muckdogs alive is a labor of love.
The author, a former college ball player himself, follows the team for a season to get the full Muckdogs experience. He befriends the owners and season ticket holders. He witnesses kids fawn over the college players. He realizes the importance of ballpark foods and personal connections with those serving them. And he acknowledges the desire to hold onto all of this for the memories of a more pleasant time.
In the off season, Bardenwerper’s family of four has a tradition “which began when our family moved to Pittsburgh about five years ago. It entails going to a Christmas tree farm about half an hour outside the city to choose a tree, cut it down, and bring it to our home for the season.” The farm also provides the requisite treats and hot chocolate. The day ends with White Christmas, his wife’s movie pick, as they decorate the tree. Long live Bing Crosby! willbardenwerper.com
By Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
Ecco, 2026, hardcover, $30.00
The place: Rochester, New York, 1977. The families: Nina, Sam, Clara, and Bridget Larkin who live across the street from Honey, Finn, Dune, and Fern Finnegan. The event: Nina and Finn secretly divorce their spouses and marry each other. The fallout: Over the next twenty years, relationships change, and the past must be reckoned with.
Local readers will love the specific references to the (585)—back when it was the (716). The author deftly illustrates how adults’ actions can affect their children for years to come, yet they can help them deal and/or heal when the kids are grown. Told from multiple points of view, this entertaining novel serves as a good reminder that everyone has something to overcome from their formative years.
Though she now lives in New York City, Sweeney grew up in Rochester during the height of the Midtown Plaza Santa and monorail years, graduating from Mercy High School in 1978. Much of her research was done at the Rundell Memorial Library, reading old newspapers to accurately depict the 1970s through 1990s. Sweeney visited the area several times when this book was released, so keep an eye out for any future appearances. daprixsweeney.com
Magic & Mischief at the Wayside Hotel
By Elizabeth Everett
ACE, 2026, paperback, $19.00
The magical beings inside the Number Five Wayside Inn, an interplanetary “ship,” are trapped on Earth. Pax, the inn’s manager, thinks he can reboot the ship’s system by bringing in a new tenant. Josie, a single mom, answers the ad for the room and can see through the magical shrouds while she and Pax fall for each other. Will Josie’s presence fix the inn? And if so, will she stay?
This novel is light on sci-fi rules and fantasy backstory but heavy on romance, humor, and irreverent magical creatures. The setting is grounded in the real world—which just happens to be based on Rochester. It is a whimsical tale inspired by the community that lifted up Everett’s single mom when she needed it most. Stay tuned for the sequel, which will contain even more local landmarks.
Everett is a USA Today bestselling author and lifetime Flower City resident. As a child of lake effect winters, one of her favorite childhood traditions was sledding down the hill behind the Lamberton Conservatory in Highland Park. Now she has “fond memories of recreating the tradition with my own children.” Follow in her footsteps, then warm up with the poinsettias in the conservatory. elizabetheverettauthor.com
Moguls: The Lives and Times of Hollywood Film Pioneers Nicholas and Joseph Schenck
By Michael Benson and Craig Singer
Citadel, 2026, paperback, $18.95
When Nick and Joe Schenck immigrated to the U.S. from Russia in 1893, they delivered newspapers, worked at a pharmacy, and opened a concession stand before investing in films. By 1910 they were all in, from New York City to Hollywood. As the industry developed, the brothers were on top—and deep into the sketchy lifestyles of the rich and famous.
Remember Loews theaters? Heard of Greta Garbo and Clark Gable? Ever seen The Wizard of Oz or Gone with the Wind? Oh, and how about the Oscars? The Schencks put them and many more on the map. These film industry icons could’ve been even more rich and famous if only they’d jumped on the television bandwagon. This book will appeal to fans of early films, American pop culture, and organized crime tales as it dives into the personal lives of Nick and Joe.
Benson, a New York City resident who graduated from Wheatland-Chili High School, says his favorite Christmas memory took place on East Main Street in Rochester. He and his mom looked at the festive window dioramas as a loudspeaker played “Silver Bells” and “O, Come All Ye Faithful.” Inside Sibley’s was Toyland, Santa … and his dad’s insurance company office. “He worked in the same building as Santa! What were the odds?” says Benson. “Later, Dad said he’d take advantage of the proximity and make sure the Big Guy did the right thing. Under the tree that year? A Beatles record and a typewriter. I was set up for life.” X.com/@Michael09030107
Science Nonfiction: Behind the Scenes in University Research
By Darren Lipomi
Buckland Creek Press, 2026, paperback, $15.99
Star Trek fan Darren Lipomi entered Boston University to study science and create the technological “magic” of the USS Enterprise. What he learned as an undergrad, graduate, post-doc, and professor was how much literal blood, sweat, and tears go into STEM discoveries before they hit the market … and how little money and credit these student workers receive. For the lab geeks who can’t see themselves doing anything else? The path is worth the price.
Starting from his childhood in Hilton and ending with his current position as chair of the Department of Chemical and Sustainability Engineering at the University of Rochester, this book is two things: (1) a memoir and (2) a conversational dissection of how science and tech get made. Also of importance to note? That federal funding and international students are key in keeping our country innovating.
After leaving Rochester for the east and west coasts, Lipomi returned with his family in 2024. While he enjoys sledding and snowman-making with his daughter, there is one childhood Christmas tradition he won’t be able to share: viewing the Crescent Beach light display. (R.I.P. Crescent Beach.) He has another book on the horizon based on his popular YouTube channel: @djlipomi.
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2026 issue of (585).
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