If you’re looking for an excuse this Christmas to escape the mulled wine, the relatives, the stuffed turkey, and especially the mulled relatives stuffed with turkey, then look no further. This year the holiday arrives at the perfect time to prepare for January by catching up with some reading around Russiagate. The New Year will see some big developments as the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives. Committees will reform under new leadership and they might even give some encouragement to Special Counsel, Robert Mueller, to reveal a few conclusions from his investigation.

With that in mind, here’s a quick list of books that will get you up to speed long before you finish with the turkey.