Help. Can’t read.

When I had chemo I started knitting again. Not stopped since!

Monica Dickens, her earlier works in particular. Real comfort reads, wonderful descriptions, dialogue and characterisations. Try her biographical ones, One Pair of Hands and Feet. Very funny and give a real taste of how life was pre and during WW2. All on Kindle or Amazon.

I like Jodi Piccoult’s books - just started Small Great Things, and Anne Cleeves series of books set in Shetland.

When I was having chemo and feeling lacklustre and went off reading - a thing I thought would never happen - I turned to a couple of the suggestions already mentioned. I listened to books via Audible and the library and chose familiar books to start with. I loved listening the The Far Pavilions by M.M.Kaye, The Children of the New Forest, Persuasion by Jane Austen and read by Greta Scacchi (?) is a treat. Anything read by Richard Armitage is a treat.
I now read and listen and belong to a small book group. We read Ammonite by Tracy Chevalier recently. Not too long and a great read.
I mentioned Audible earlier. I pay £7.99 a month for 1 recorded book a month, and they have a catalogue of free books too. I have listened to some excellent books for free that way. You will need an e-reader. I have a Kindle Fire - the 10" one - which helps because my eyesight is not so good now.
I hope that you find a way back to books that suits you.

Patricia Scanlon is one of my favourites

This one is very good

My favourite books of longstanding are the Dr Siri books by Colin Cotterill. They are light and easy but very well written and totally absorbing. They are also available via Amazon's Audible service.

Lucca

Started in lockdown but now with chemo etc I just can’t read books. I think I may need to read something light to get me re started. I dont like richard osman stuff or fantasy novels or sci fi. I’m thinking maybe around the Mary Wesley style ? Or tracy chevalier ? Last books I loved were Crawdads, all the light we cannot see. The presidents hat. Any bright ideas ? Please ?!

Tracy Chevalier Falling Angels is great with short chapters. Good luck. My husband had a course of Chemo last year and life is still not as it was for him xx

I seldom seem to sit down and ‘have a good read’, so I now take much longer to read a book. I have found that in dipping into books I get very frustrated when they have a large number of characters and families. Worse still was a book I read recently which went to and fro from the past to the present to the future, all withe the same characters. I confess that the latter was one of the few books that I have given up on. I am trying to master the ‘cast of thousands’ problem by writing down the characters names and where they fit it. Some books do this I rejoice when I find one.

I can recommend "The smallest man" by Frances Quinn
It's historical fiction - not too many pages just to get you back into the saddle so to speak.

Tracy Chevalier books are fab.

Anne Tyler's "Redhead by the Side of the Road" is a lovely read. It's good writing, emotionally intelligent, bit of humour. It's short - less than 200 pages in paperback. Also highly recommend "The Enchanted April" by Elizabeth von Arnim. Originally published in 1922 it is a charming and funny novel about four dissatisfied English women after First World War who spend the month of April holidaying together in a small castle on the Italian Riviera. A favourite read of mine when I need a bit of comfort reading.

I love Gervais Phinn books. Reminiscences of his days as a school inspector in Yorkshire and the many often hilarious stories that came with his interaction with the children.
Guaranteed to lift your spirits.

I think you lived in Italy for a while? Still Life by Sarah Winman is partially set in Firenze and peopled by the most wonderful characters. Maybe the "I recognise that street!"will help? ? There is also a bit of fun, Errant Angels, set in the English community in Lucca.

Speaking of celebs turned novelists- try the Anton Du Beke novels- theres 4 in all so far, start with first, its light hearted stuff really, follows a dancer (what else?) and a chambermaid and their ensuing love story.I dont watch strictly at all, but I've seen Anton on tv, in interviews, guest appearances etc, and was intrigued by the novels- i was not dissapointed- its sheer escapism/glamour yet set against a backdrop of hotel life.Then leads into WW2, and after.Nice. I was quite surprised.Became really caught up in the lives of these people.

LUCCA, with my dh dying just before virus hit us, hence it affected my grieving, and the pandemic, I found I could not read, having been an avid reader all my life, could not listen to music, ditto, but listening to it.

I have slowly, oh so slowly started reading,, from being a reader of historical, mostly fiction, some factual books, quite a wide variety, I started half a page at a time on those very light, "romantic" ! I think there is a word for them... for some time, I persevered , ditto music,, taken some time, but I am getting there..

so that is my experience, keep on, and try all sorts!
Hope you soon beat this..

Read one of the Lucinda Riley sisters books but got bored with it.

Me too Lucca!

Sometimes it is the print size which makes concentrating difficult . Most books are quite small print . A good alternative is a kindle as you can change the print size and the lighting .

Rosamund Pilcher, nice light easy reading.

Yes I liked the Sally Vickers books and some jojo moyes,

Witzend

How about the Cazalet series, if you’ve never read them, by Elizabeth Jane Howard?
I forget which is the first, but I did find them addictive.

I have read them and enjoyed ,

Read one of the Lucinda Riley sisters books but got bored with it.

After my mother died I couldn't concentrate on books for a time; I found reading old favourites (Georgette Heyer, Rumer Godden, Angela Thirkell) easier, as I already knew the story, and also dipping into poetry anthologies.
The comfort of remembered things.

Not sure about the Lucinda Riley Seven Sisters books -they are very long. If you are having trouble sticking with a book that may be a problem
Me neither, the last one, The Missing Sister, arrived and was huge and off putting.
I admit I struggled with it, did finish it but was glad to pass it on to a friend and see the back of it!

How about the Cazalet series, if you’ve never read them, by Elizabeth Jane Howard?
I forget which is the first, but I did find them addictive.

Love Barbara Pym and Anne Tyler.
Not sure about the Lucinda Riley Seven Sisters books -they are very long. If you are having trouble sticking with a book that may be a problem
I'd recommend Sally Vickers. They are fairly light but well written books.
The Librarian is set in the 1950s about a children's librarian
Miss Garnett's Angel is set in Venice.
Grandmothers is about 3 women who act as grandmothers .
I'd start with the Librarian it is about reading really.
I also like JoJo Moyes (which I didn't expect). Her novel "The Giver of Stars" is about the women who provided a library service in the US riding out to isolated people to provide books. It might help you regain your appreciation of reading.