Comfort reads (or rather re-reads)

Quaintirene

So pleased to find someone else who puts Shipping News at number one, it has never been knocked off the top spot for me!

Good Companions is a wonderful book. If only I had the talent to join a concert party.

I regularly reread noel streatfeild, malory towers and other old childhood favourites. My go to adult books for comfort reading are Hazel Holt's Sheila Malory series. I love the cosy community feel she conjures up and read the more for that than the actual murder mystery although that is enjoyable as well.

The Shipping News is my favourite book ?
Closely followed by Mr Golightlys Holiday. Genuinely surprised at the coincidence here !
And The Good Companions by JB Priestley next.
My favourite author all round is E F Benson. The ghost stories are good winter night reads.
I am re reading an omnibus of the Fairacre books by Miss Read. A complete joy.

The shipping news is one of my very best reads. I love pursuit of love and love in a cold climate for true comfort and giggles.

Thanks for reminding me about The Forsyte Saga and I Capture the Castle, Gulligranny. Have a feeling I've lent ICTC and it's never come back, but will search. So many bookshelves, though - and some are double stacked! Need to do some 'weeding' soon.

Does anyone else love Clare Chambers? Have recently re-read In A Good Light and just starting again on The Editor's Wife. 'Back Trouble' was also excellent though I think I gave that to a sister who I knew would like it. - I love CC's writing. Found her first in the library or charity shop, forget which.

Forget whether I previously mentioned Mr Golightly's Holiday (Salley Vickers) - another delightful re read.

I'm currently rereading my way through Terry Pratchett's discworld novels. I've got lots of new books to read, but at the moment I need the comfort of Pratchett's humour and moral code.

I've just been reading 'Best Wishes, Sister B' by Fran Smith (not sure if she's still a GNetter) and it's full of such lovely, gentle humour. I've now ordered 'The Power of Cake'!

Just rereading Gone with the Wind. Picked it up on a charity book stall in Wilko, falling apart but the pieces go to recycling as they drop off!

I love the story and you learn so much about the Civil War, I just wonder how different the text would be if reprinted today!

PensionPat mentioned the Jane Duncan "My Friend" books, which I loved many years ago. She called her husband "Twice", as his name was Alexander Alexander!

So many memories invoked here; The Cazalet Chronicles, those wonderful R.F. Delderfield books, Daphne du Maurier - I'm minded to re-read them all.

My go-to is The Forsyte Saga, which I have read countless times and which I still find absolutely engrossing. And "I Capture The Castle" by Dodie Smith, written in the 1930s and which I first read when I was 14, a mere 60 years ago! I have been in love with Simon Cotton all those years ..

Reading is the most wonderful pleasure; my husband says he can more easily imagine me not breathing than not reading!

As others have said, Diary of a Nobody and Cold Comfort Farm are old favourites. I read a lot and very quickly so am always on the lookout for new authors. My favourite recently was one by Tim Winton (new to me) called, I think, The Shepherds Hut. I found it thrilling. I also love Jenny Eclair's books. If you need cheering up try the one with 'vanilla slices' in the title and another called 'Camberwell Beauty'. Both are hilarious. What would we do without books?

oh, me too!

May I ask if anyone can remember the title of a girls' story about a boarding school at Ardlui by Loch Lomond? The story involved a mysterious quaich and an unpleasant neighbour called Peagreen. The time and place I read this book, about 1941 I think is a pleasant memory and I'd love to read the story again.

Someone earlier recommended The Shell Seekers which I read years ago. I picked it up in the library Thursday and read over the weekend. I had forgotten what a glorious read it was and what a joyful story. Takes you straight to Cornwall. So I am going to look out for more of her books from the library to re-read.

Picked up The Book Thief at the same time, more sombre but will see how it goes.

I always used to read the Poldark series, the first eight books, for comfort reading, or if I had nothing else to read, but now I have read them so often and many been sent to charity shops. I do not think I can read them again as I know the story so well, but you never know.

I am another who sometimes reads the William books in bed as they still make me smile after all these years! I always found them very funny as a child.

A good thread! Thanks.

Kt19

Interested to see Alice Hoffman pop up,I love her books, Turtle Moon being my favourite, and more recently The Story Sisters.

I too remember Anya Seyton from my schooldays, and read all Jean Plaidy.

My dad also subscribed to the reader’s digest, so I’ve read many of those over the years.

cmwmoonshine, I wish I could heart your post - I love 'A Discovery of Witches' too. I'm interested in seeing the TV series - hoping it will be released on Netflix or Prime eventually.

Kartush - Anne McCaffrey fan here too. I love the Pern series. Also enjoyed the 'Rowan' books.

Two other comfort faves (also fantasy/romance) are:
- Practical Magic, by Alice Hoffman
- Promised Land, by Connie Willis and Cynthia Felice

84 Charing Cross Road is one of my comfort films! Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins. Lovely film for book lovers.

I've re-read all of Victoria Hislop's books with The Island being my absolute favourite. Also anything by Stig Laarson and Jo Nesbo. Love reading, it's by far my best way of relaxing.

I couldn't count the number of times through the years that I've re-read Georgette Heyer's period romances - the research that must have gone into them is amazing, and the humour is there as well as intelligent, well written and totally porn free romance and adventure.

I've just remembered one more. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. Helene Hanff was an American author who fell in love with a second hand bookshop. The book contains letters written by her and the replies she received in the post-war era. A beautiful, moving book.

Thank you for such a lovely thread and although don’t think it was intended for this for everyone’s great ideas which have given me lots of books and authors to look at. I don’t re- read much as I am quite a slow reader and there are so many new books to try but I do have two series of books that I love which I don’t think have been mentioned. These are
The Hebrides series by Lilian Beckwith and
The Minack Chronicles by Derek Tangye

I can’t remember reading Drina books, but the local library was fantastic for children like me where there was not much spare cash at home for buying books.
My parents did however subscribe to the Readers Digest, so there was always a pile of past issues to reread if my library books were finished. Oh and there were lots of the readers digest omnibus books! I read all of them too!

Witzend, thank you for this wonderful thread, I am an avid reader and I am taking note of many 'new' titles to read. I've just down loaded How far is it to Bethlehem , looking forward to it.
My first memorable book was an illustrated children's version of Little Women I had when I was around six or seven, I loved that book, it was under my pillow every night. My mum would read some of it to me at bedtime, then after lights out I would try to read more myself by the glow from the street lights!
I can remember going to the local library every week with my dad, he would be choosing Neville Shute whilst I was searching out Mallory Towers, Chalet School, and Drina books. I can't remember the author of the Drina books but the titles began Drina dances in... various countries, I remember Madeira.
When I was at High School I joined the library in that town and read lots of historical fiction by Jean Plaidy, I now enjoy Phillipa Gregory. I have just finished reading The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, at last the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, absolutely brilliant.

Me too Rosie, some are already in my Waterstones wish list, which already has about five years of reading on it

What a lovely thread. I'm going to sit down with a note book and write down lots of these suggestions. Two of my most re-read books are Hotel du Lac and Cold Comfort Farm. Many many years ago, a friend gave me a book called Through the Kitchen Window by Susan Hill. It's a beautifully illustrated book about the kitchen / cooking, through the seasons. The writing is just wonderful. Along the lines of Nigel Slater but before his time. I get it out at the start of each season and will be reading the Autumn chapter today. I've recently started on her detective series as well.