Gov. Martin O'Malley had some good advice today for Marylanders, as the massive snowstorm approaches: "Curl up with a book and stay off the roads." He didn't say which book he'd be reading, there are many to carry you through the whiteout. As we noted during the big December storm, snow is a theme in many excellent books, including "Snow Falling on Cedars," David Guterson's mystery, set against the Japanese-American internment issue. Others: "My Antonia" by Willa Cather's heart-breaking tale of pioneer life; "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," Lisa See's poignant tale of friendship; and "Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life" by Alice Schroeder.

More recently, I read "Tide, Feathers, Snow," a memoir by Marylander Miranda Weiss, who moved with her boyfriend to Homer, Alaska. They live off the land -- and sea -- as much as possible, and her recounting captures both the constant beauty and constant struggle of life in the far north. You'll met pioneers and eccentrics -- often rolled into one -- while following Weiss as she re-evaluates the meaning and direction of her life.

If you want something more current, here are a few well-received novels that can easily be read in a weekend:

-- Noahs' Compass by Anne Tyler

-- Point Omega by Dim DeLillo

-- Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich

Baltimore Sun photo by Jed Kirschbaum