For the discerning pipe smoker, often there are some pairings that naturally arise during the smoking experience: a spirit paired with a complex tobacco, a black coffee paired with a bold blend, and so forth. One pairing that occurs often for the pipe smoker is reading and pipe smoking. Whether intentionally pairing a book with pipe tobacco, trying something new and exciting with a new genre to read, diving into an old favorite book with a classic tobacco, or smoking a newly released blend with a new novel in hand, the two activities blend nicely on relaxing and leisurely days. A few of the faces behind Smokingpipes have provided their recent reads and smokes again for this year, and we have gathered those submissions here for your enjoyment.

I'm reading Polostan by Neal Stephenson. I pretty much read Neal Stephenson books as soon as they come out, and it was released recently. I've been smoking G.L. Pease's Cairo and a couple of experiments from Jeremy Reeves over the past few weeks. I enjoy reading and smoking Cairo because it goes with everything. I really don't pair tobacco with what I'm reading; I'm neither a fastidious reader nor a fastidious pipe smoker. I consume books at a good clip and more pipe tobacco than I want to confess to.

In general, I smoke mostly small Billiards and Lovats from Peterson and Savinelli, but I'm far more likely to reach for something larger or a bent pipe while I'm reading. There's nothing systematic about that, but I'll find myself smoking larger high grades, like my Nanna Ivarssons or Tokutomis.

I'm reading NOS4A2 by Joe Hill for the first time and Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut for probably the 10th time.

NOS4A2 is horror. I'm almost finished, and it's diverting but not great; it's basically a vampire novel. The characters are interestingly flawed but not particularly likeable. I've been on a horror kick lately; it's generally easy, mindless reading. While reading Joe Hill, I've been smoking G.L. Pease's Fillmore. Fillmore is a deeper, low-note smoke that seems to accompany the horror genre well.

Breakfast of Champions is satire and brilliant. Vonnegut didn't think it was among his best, but I disagree. I happened to see it on the shelf and realized it had been a few years since I last read it. Vonnegut is more playful. I like the whimsicality of satire, and a Va/Per just seems lighter and brighter.

I almost never consider a particular tobacco for a particular book. Whatever I'm smoking and interested in at the time is what the book gets. I smoke primarily Lovats, Billiards, Lumbermans, and Canadians, in that order. Maybe traditional pipe shapes work well with the classics I tend to read, but I've not consciously chosen a particular shape to go with what I'm reading.

The one thing I look for in a pipe when I'm reading is a large bowl. I don't like interrupting my book to refill a pipe all the time.

One could say that I'm in a bit of a reading rut lately and have gravitated more toward podcasts, especially when enjoying a smoke. I'd even argue that podcasts cooperate better for smoking sessions: There's less ergonomic fuddling between holding a book alongside a pipe or cigar. To be fair, that's not my motivation, but it has been a noticeable advantage. Apart from my morning ritual of news updates via NPR's Up First and The New York Times's The Daily, my favorite podcasts right now are CBS's Eye on College Basketball and Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend.

As the title suggests, Eye on College Basketball covers men's NCAA basketball. It's perfect for staying updated on the season when I don't have time to watch games, and it's a great year-long appetizer for my favorite sporting event: March Madness. Plus, the hosts foster a fun energy and provide interesting analysis alongside witty banter.

Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend sees the former talk-show host interview guests in a more long-form conversation compared to the tight time slots of late-night television. I've appreciated Conan for a long time, and I'm glad he's still producing memorable and hilarious content. I would definitely recommend it.

I recently popped a tin of McClelland Christmas Cheer from 2009 that I picked up earlier this year at the Muletown Pipe Show. I look for a tin every year or so and open it around the holiday season; it just seems fitting. For cigars, I just smoked the Tatuaje 10th Anniversary Belle Encre Capa Especial and loved it. I'll definitely be returning to it.

I'm reading When Pride Still Mattered by Pulitzer Prize winner David Maraniss. It's a biography about Vince Lombardi, who is one of the most winning football coaches of all time. It's less so about the game of football and more about the leadership philosophies he utilized to lead his teams to victory. From his upbringing to phone calls with the president about upcoming games, the book shares stories of Vince Lombardi to illustrate what kind of attributes great leadership needs.

As I step into a leadership position at this company, I want to learn from those who have excelled at leading others. There are many types of effective leadership, but each style has many great lessons to grow from. I believe that reading and learning from those who have great experiences is a vital step to growth in any realm.

I smoked a few cigars on the beach while reading this book. El Septimo Nigori has been my go-to recently as it is perfectly mild with some creamier undertones yet still provides the strength that I need. The cigar burned perfectly and enhanced the experience of reading.

For cigars while reading, two things are extremely important that El Septimo Nigori has. First, it is smooth and not too complex. The consistent, creamy undertones helped me focus on the book instead of the cigar. Second, the construction of the cigar is perfect. Not once did I have to worry about it unraveling or falling apart. It burned evenly (even outside) for the entire session.

I do pair books, but not intentionally. I find that the type of tobacco depends on my location and length of reading. Am I reading indoors? Am I going to read for 30 minutes or a couple of hours? These questions decide whether I'm going to use a larger pipe, tobacco strength, and tobacco profile. I like big Pots for reading. They hold more tobacco, burn evenly, and allow me to read for hours.

I've been reading Slow Productivity by Cal Newport and The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland. I tend to balance my reading with one non-fiction and one fiction book at any given time. Reading and smoking go quite well together, but much like my beverage choices, my tobacco pairings can align more with the current season we're in or what I'm into lately more than the subject matter of the book itself. That said, I tend to prefer Virginia or Virginia/Oriental blends when smoking during the daytime (when I'm most often reading work-related or non-fiction books), and more complex English or Aromatic mixtures at night (when I'm most often reading science fiction or fantasy books).

Slow Productivity is a non-fiction book that makes an argument against modern productivity and hustle culture, teaching us how to trade mere busyness for actual progress by committing to fewer projects, practicing mindfulness, and engaging on a deeper level with our most important work. I was interested in Cal Newport's work after reading his Deep Work book and wanted to read more of his theories on modern productivity.

When reading Slow Productivity, I tend to reach for a blend that can offer complexity when I want it to but can also fade effortlessly into the background as I'm reading and taking notes. Some blends I've been enjoying recently with this book are Bayou Morning Flake, 4th Generation Fathers, Friends & Fire Batch 001 Virginia Oriental Flake, and Rattray's Hal O' The Wynd.

The Rise & Fall of D.O.D.O. is a science-fantasy book that explores the connection between the rise of modern technology and the disappearance of magic. Using real scientific theories like quantum entanglement, it cleverly bridges the gap between genres and offers commentary about modern society's rapid technological growth and what it's cost us (metaphorically). It caught my attention for its genre-bending narrative arc and clever storytelling.

When reading The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., I've been reaching for Low Country's Carolina Christmas. The book itself doesn't have much to do with the holidays, but the blend fits it nicely, with a pretty pleasant room note.

I've been working through my rotation of pipes while reading recently. Bent pipes are a bit easier to clench, so I tend to favor my Petersons when reading, but I've also really been enjoying a new Abe Herbaugh Bulldog I picked up recently for longer smokes. For me, the pipe I select isn't really dependent on a book's subject matter or writing style but more on what will match the situation — e.g. a longer smoke, a more comfortable clench, etc. My pipes are my companions, so it's really about selecting which friend I'd like to accompany me through a given text.

Thank you for reading! Be sure to let us know in the comments what you've been reading and smoking lately as we enjoy the holidays and the winter season in preparation for a fresh, new year in 2025.