Most of us have felt the need to escape from our lives—to disconnect, walk away and disappear. Everything from spending too long with the headlines to a fluctuating bank balance to looming deadlines can inspire that feeling, though for most of us, going entirely off grid is a luxury we simply cannot afford. Unlike leaving real life behind, great reads require no reservation, no staff and no advance planning, only a cozy chair and an evening to spare. Whatever your taste in literature, books offer a different kind of retreat: one that costs considerably less than the alternatives but delivers its own quiet extravagance. Consider it a holiday for the mind, available for the taking any time.