Winter Literary Picks for the Characters of Parks and Recreation

Leslie Knope: Hard Choices, by Hillary Clinton
We all know the answer to the world’s problems is a Fey-Poehler 2016 ticket. But no one gets to be president without making some hard choices. (See what we did there?) It practically goes without saying that Leslie is deeply engrossed in Hillary Clinton’s account of her years as Secretary of State.

Ben Wyatt: A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R. R. Martin
Think you’ll find Ben hitting the slopes this season? Not so much. Try looking for him at the local comic book store. Or he might be hiding from the cold by rereading the most epic fantasy series ever.

Andy Dwyer: A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel
Of course Andy’s following along—with the graphic novel version.

Donna Meagle: The Book of Life, by Deborah Harkness
Donna likes her reads the way she likes her men: hot and heavy. The Book of Life, the conclusion to Harkness’s unforgettable All Souls Trilogy, is both. 

Ron Swanson: Nature’s God, by Matthew Stewart
He doesn’t need any cookbooks; the man knows how to eat. He also definitely doesn’t need a DIY manual; he’s a master with his hands. And you know you’re not going to catch him reading some namby-pamby fiction. Ron Swanson may not read often, but when he does, he reads big, fat, smart-as-all-heck treatises like Nature’s God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic.

April Ludgate: Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh
April’s a smart woman; she’s a deputy director, and she knows how to get things done. But, like lots of smart women, she needs a break this winter. Hyperbole and a Half is the perfect escape. It’s a fun, quirky read—Ludgate style.

Tom Haverford: Mastery, by Robert Greene
He’s already read The 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction, natch. This winter Tom’s reading Greene’s new book, Mastery. So clearly 2015 is going to be the year he learns the secrets to greatness. Watch out, world. Tom’s coming for you. 

Jerry/Larry/Terry Gergich: Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom
Jerry’s reading whatever you’re reading—or, more accurately, whatever you were reading ten years ago, such as Tuesdays with Morrie. And, of course, he loves to shed a tear.

Ann Perkins and Chris Traeger: A Beautiful Mess Happy Handmade Home, by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman
Let’s all sigh one last sigh for this lovely couple: may they return to Pawnee one day. In the meantime, they’ll be making their home as beautiful as they are with some tips from A Beautiful Mess’s new decorating book.
What books can you see on the nightstands of your favorite Parks & Recreation characters?