While Fordim does have a point, I don't think it's just that. I do think that during autumn and winter, as those endless rains and snows come falling you feel very snug sitting on your favourite couch sipping hot chocolate/tea while re-reading a long book. But why exactly Lord of the Rings? After all, there are many 'long books' in one's library (one hopes so
) but I don't feel compelled for instance to pick up Moby Dick or Brothers Karamazov and re-read them during the autumn/winter. And still, for me these two books are worth re-reading. But I get the same wish to re-read 'Lord of the Rings' (and no other book) when autumn comes as Matthew and the others do. In fact I'm re-reading it now.
And seeing what you guys wrote, which I also can relate to, I've realized that autumn has always been for me a time for change, sometimes imposed from the outside (ex: school starting) but more recently chosen by me as the time to make a change in my life. And I think this somewhat relates to my wishing to read LOTR during this season, besides the comfort of familiar words and characters and events, I also need to reinforce the belief that change is not something bad and that one must leave some things behind and move on in order to discover new ones. As corny as it may sound, I am inspired by the strong characters in this book to preserve my own strength when starting on a new path.